Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1896-09-25

{:s5+.!.< { fought. against .
@ IN General Evans
- d~--O on eastern battle
sa''e st.e. fields, but how
many know that there were two:of the
name in the armies Of the Oonfederacy, .
both gallant and ubiquitous when there
was work to be donep Clement A. Evans
began his soldier career as lieutenant in
the Thirty first Georgia, fighting his
first battles under Stonewalt jackson.
He served to the end Of the war in the
Virginia campaign and laid down the
sword Of a major general at Appomattox.
Ascolonel Of the Thirty first regiment
Evans received his first wound at Gaines
Mill in 1862. Having given proof Of
good soldier stuff III command OF "a regi-
ment, he was often called upon to take
the post Of danger with the Thirty first,
A good regiment and q good leader
make a strong team. The writer was
one of the proud and confident boys in
blue who climbed up Maxye's Heights
May 8, 1858, and stood on the crest all
next day, boasting not little over the
conquest of those frowning hills As
soon as it grew dark enough to steal
away safely he was going toward
Banks ford among the skirmishing rear
guard Of the rear guard of Sedgwick's
corps d'armee. We skirmishers had q
lively fight in the cleaning with some
plucky skirmishers in gray, firing in
retreat, man against man. Long after
the war learned that Evans led the
skirmish line, composed of his own regi-
ments of Georgians. remarked the
gallantry Of their advance at the time,
for we first welcomed them from am
bush and had a masked battery on the
spot to help us with canister. It seems
that Evans was SO vigorous in attacking
with skirmish line that his brigade
commander, John B. Gordon, was forced
to throw in the other regiments to
back up the charge, and in this way the
heights were recaptured within ~ hours
after we took them by storming. That
race for Banks ford ahead, Of Evans
skirmishers was my first and Last run
from the enemy, and shall never for
get it. One incident 1 recall Just be
fore our battery retired from the Skin
nish line I saw the shots pillow, through
the solid ranks Of Gordou's troops,
marching as reserves to Evans line, and
hurl men into the air piecemeal. With
undaunted valor the ranks closed the
gaps and marched steadily forward on
the guns. No wonder that We oonclud-
ed Marye's Heights. was nd place &or
our bivouac that second night 7
Evans gallantry at Fredericksburg
placed him at the head Of Gordou's old
brigade, and with it be marched for the
Susquehanna A wound received in
Gordon's~ fight with Barlow, ON tie
plain north 81 Gettysburg, oonsecrated
his promotion to the rank Of brigadier
general. The winter following Evans
managed a small fight on the tRapidan
and came out gloriously, In. spite Of the
odds against him. In one Of the Federal
Reconnaissance division Of Warren'S
corps crossed at Morton's ford, and
Evans was told to attack and drive it
of. With no aid but light battery he
kept up fight for some hours and final
" gave parting shot 10 WaFien's
troops as they rieolrdssed thes1Ayer.s% ~
Evans brigade was among the sound
" sleeping troops in the angle behind
Mocool's house at ppiottsylvania when
Hancock sprung his attack On the 12th
Il May. 0ordon' q division WI III -.
serve to Edward Johnson' g, which Han
cock captured bodily; With Hst COM
tnander at the head. The reserves, tEe
the front line, had been thrown of their.
guard ~ some camp rdmor, tie night of
the assault, but at the first sound q at-
tack IN the morning spsAng 10 arma +
was yet dark in the woodA and Il was
impossible for the Confederates In The
rear to tell what was going on in 'front.'
In few moments stat officers reported
that the Eedara1s had broken over! the
strong works III the angle and swe1e
pouring to the rear unop Evans
faced his men toward the firing and ad-
vAnced on the general principle Of seek
ing the thick Of it In battle. Gordon saw
the bold Initiative Of This Subordinate
and told him to go ahead double quick:
Evans rode in front and led his men on
a1oharge' which checked Hancock g adj
vance at that point. Holding his ground,
Evans waited until Gordon forrned the
rest sof the sdividon, and 81 one grand
charge the base Of the angle was cleared
Of bluecoats It was that stroke, led by
Georgians-for Gordon, Evans and the
other brigade leader, Phil Cook; were
all Georgia soldiers which saved the
angle that day, and the angle was the
stronghold Of. Lees line II ~ said that
Lee went TO the 'front.' and wanted to
lead the Georgians in person at that
time, but was induced to 60 back out Of
the firing and leave the scanse 70 otherA
Evans brigade lost bali its numbers.
and both he and Gordon were promoted
for their gallantry. S:ss
Gordon'S division decided the battle
of Monocacy, Nd, in July 1884, by
one Of the most. brilliant dank attacks
ri. 80 f HNs1 ~ u-,