Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-21

h.-,erv which went from your own s'sy
- Athens" The facts and n's'o''
that engagement are az follows .s
General sedgewick's Federal So,T 49,.
,cc,nvinr stafford or FALMOUTH ns's"
t,,sr below Fredericksburg, ana on ~" r,,,s,
rnsi,e side OF the Rappahannoch ~,
from the Confederate position. ana
been ordered TO occupy these neisn Yin
watch for an opportunity, py 49,, ,a
the Confederate forces In MS iIons' 30.
turn General Lees right flank. wno
anaa scd in hattie with General HOOKER
army M charlottesville. The Soniee
crates Immediately In front OF oene' .,
sedeew.ck we're under the connano "
General Barksdale. OF MississipPi,
consisted OF his brigade one or TWO com
NAMES from General Hayess Lou'ssana
Brigade. the washington Aruile,y. uo"
New Orleans and the Troup Ar'ineiy'
This force was occupying nne %
abo,ft three miles between Frederickspu,s
ana Harnilton's Crossing, on the Rich
mond and Fredericksburg railroad Iney
were. of course very much scattered, or
stretched out in attempting TO noid
line of such great length. The Washing
ton Artillery occupied Marye's Heights
,ust In front of Fredericksburg. Inc
Troup Artillery occupied position CON
siderably to the right, and In advance OF
the Washington Artillery, and Just oppo-
site Deep Bottom run, on the Rappanan-
mock river The infantry were so DIS
posed of by companies as to best hoio
and protect the intervening extent OF our
line.
General sedgewick, discovering the
weakness OF our line. threw his whole
corps across the river. and, attacking
General Barksdale'a line at Maryes
Heights, captured regiment and q haif
Of his infantry brigade and two bate
ries of the Washington Artillery battal-
ion, which occupied these heights. The
Troup Artillery, being to the right and
In advance Of Marye's Heights. was thus
cut off from the main force and placed
in a very critical position, the Federal
troops then being In Its rear on the lett.
The colonel in command Of the artillery
battalion ran the gauntlet and, reach
ing the position Of the Troup Artillery,
notified the officer In command or that
battery Of his condition. and ordered him
to retreat in the direction of Hamilton's
Crossing and get cut as best he could.
Just at this juncture brigade or Generai
Sedgewicks corps, and which had eros
ed the river at Deep Bottom run, appear
cd I'm front of the Troup Artillery and
formed line of battle for the purpose OF
charging and capturing this battery. The
officer in command Of the Troup Artillery,
realizing the situation, and knowing
that IL he then attempted a retreat with
| this infantry force Immediately and so
| closely in his front, and under the diffi-
| culties which would attend the retreat
| of his battery, he and his whole COM
mand would be captured, refused to obey
| the order so far as retreating with his
| whole battery. So, sending to the rear
| and In the direction of Hamilton's cross
| ing his long-range guns and his heavily
| loaded caissons, so as to get them out OF
| the way he then took a section OF Ma
poleon guns, and, advancing In the di-
rection of the Federal brigade until with
| in easy canister range, opened fre upon
| the enemy with his guns doubled-shotted
| with canister.
The slaughter Of this brigade was fear
full. But the enemy, bravely rallying. re-
formed their line of battle, when the artil-
lery officer repeated his fire of canister
shot with equally destructive effect. Inc
enemy. then falling back somewhat. re-
formed. but observing that the artillery
officer was advancing with his section or
guns to repeat the fire. they broke ana
rushed pell-mell into a ravine just 10 theli
left This artillery officer then obliqued
| his guns and, reaching the head or ne
ravine poured a terrific and still more de-
structiye fire upon the now budding
enemy. .,
Having effectually crippled the Federal
force. which so endangered his retreat, ne
then had his guns limbered up TO the rear
and made safe his retreat, overtaking tne
balance of his command near the hicn'
mond and Fredericksburg railroad, where
his command came up with a portion o.
General Jubal Early's command, whicr
was marching to the relief or Genera
Barksdale. 49,.
Az a result Of this artillery firing TN
Federal officers, the next morning re-
norted 100 killed and WOUNDED
This is the engagement and the resui.'
which General Fitzhugh Lee alluded u
IN his lecture here in Athens, and whicf
facts are on file with the records OF INT
war in the War Department at Washing
ton city. .,, 3,
II IS but due to the Troup Artillery u
cav in this connection that the service
OF the battery on this trying and CRU
cal occasion were such as TO houc'
General Robert r. Lee. after the PATTI
OF Charlottesville, to issue gehei a
order to the Army OF Northern virginia
in which he said: 1T is again the out!
and Measure OF the general In commah'
TO thank the Troup Artillery for Its gal
liant services in again saving the Arm!
of Northern Virginia from serious o'"
aster, If not defeat"