The Progress., 1896-08-06
TAILS OF TIE TIMES
som" War Stories Not Generally known,
k"t Worth Rc.,,iur

H""' war H'"'i"9 Not Generally known
h"f worth Heading.
n'S'oTv u'Hl's important facts and In.
''reH'1nG 'nrr"mts, This Is particularly
frU" in hi.t'rirS II wars ON ,h, oath n(
March, lNl.,, early in tina mamma IN
'front.' % PETERSBURG Va ,h.r, b,,,n a
ha'''" which, il it had resulted rs its oripi
majors c"id'Inll"'rd, would have divided
ana seriously crippled the Army of tho Pc
ton'hc 1t would havc been more dIsas
trous than McGltllan's retreat from in
iront oi Richmond in 1869; more disas
trous than P"pe's and McDowclrs uusuc-
o'ss'Il battle at Bull Run In 1869. more
disappointing to the north than Burnside's
a''ack on fredericksburg in December,
1857, and moro discrcdinbIe to tho Union
army 'han Hookcr's campaign at Chan
ce'lorsvIlIe in 1863. This engagement Is
Known IN history as tho capture Of Fort
Steadman by tho Confetleratcs History
telIs OF the heroic charge of Lieutenant
General John b. Gordon's troops through
the Union line, of tho capture of thu fort
and many prisoners. 1t does not toll tbnt
'he Union forces were directed by young
man VINO was not even in command of a
regiment who never bad commanded a
regiment, Brigade division or corps but
was one of General George G Noado's
stall officers tho present adjutant general
OF tho United States armv-Gcorye y.
kuggles. History has omitted that Wbvp
VIII not attempt to say. RuyyIos was
General Meados assistant adutant gamer
al, President Lincoln was ut City Point,
adozon miios from General Meadc's head |
quarters, visiting General Grant The
evening before the attack General Grant
had invited General Meade 30 ioin him
and meet Mr. Lincoln.
Immediately after Gordon attacked Gen
eral huggcs sent a dispatch to General
Meade telling him what had occurred and
informing him of the disposition he had
','j'oe OIL the troops to retakc tho fort and
drive back the enemy For some reason
th1s dispatch did not reach General Meade,
ana ne, General Grant and President Lin.
coin, the commander of the army of the
fotomaC, tho commander of all the armies
ana the commander in chief knew nothing
OF tho battle until between land s O'Clock
when Rugges second dispatch to Neode
announced that the attack of Gordon had
been ropulSed, the fort rotaken and some Z
4'ooo or 3,OOO prisoners captured Before
noon Lincoln, Grant and Meade were on
Iholr way to Petersburg, and when they =.
reached Moades headquarters they person !.
Any thanked Rugglcs, the young man who "
had graspcd the situation and acted inst '
Is ne believed General Mcade wmId have
acted had he been present. p
In one OF the companies of our brigade =
nero was man who was partially insane. VI
inls man, with reason frost bitten did
'hat thousands in that limo would have y
eJolce" to do. When Mr.. Lincoln passed "
n 'front.' OF the company that soldier ran to ii
us carriage, dropped upon his knees and "
egan TO talk to him in German. The =. ',
arrlage stopped and Mr.. Lincoln, with u
rs head bent forward so TINT no mipht lc
ear, made u picture that no one who saw "a
VIII ever forget. Tho captain of the ,,
ompany, also German rushed up and %
\ great excitement ordered the man bock
nus place. Then there was another
eautlful picture. Mr.. Lincoln raised his &c
ut hand in signal to tho captain and said. m
Never mind captain; never mind Let 10
I'm talk. 1t does me no harm and it NAV or
him some good The half crazed sol. OF
ler sprang to his feet, caught Mr.. Lin. or
'ln' hand, kissed it, said goodby in Ger. DC
ian and returned to the ranks. TN
Another word about the Gordon and m
ugglos BATTLE or the capture and rccap- to-
ire of Fort Stoadman. 1t was in that at
1t contest, where thousands were killed be
III wounded, that the father of one of the tn
uly great men of tho south met bis tr,
'ath he was major of a Georgia reyi.
ent and at that time was in command Go
his regiment. The Ninth corps had pr
lyen the ConfodcratA back in confusion col
ID this major, on white horse, was rid fro
9 back and forth, swinging his sword 81
III appealing to the men to rally On tho Wa
Tors and make another stand. Just as
troops were about to heed his appcal
"a his commands, bullet struck him
q nc fell from his horse, dying almost 80
stantly. Thus fell Major Grady, the IA. ber
or of the late Henry w. Grady Of tie At. of
1ta constitutional. A. Watrots in tru
liCagO Times Herald ORG