St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1897-04-03
Target for 20, 900 Bullets

Any one soldier
During the en-
tire War.
As time passes The history Of the
war will become more and more in
teresting. aud in addition To the mar
rative Of great battles and sieges,
instances Of individual her0ism will
be eagerly sought after and read.
Many such l witnessed at Fort
Donelsoo, Chlckamauxa. and upon
other battle-felds OF the war, but
one in particular At Fort Donelson.
impressed itself upon my memory
as an instance Of unsurpassed hero
,.m, and SO wonderful that it par
eook Of the miraculous. To those
like myself who witnessed 1t, It real
" seemed as il the day Of miracles
had returned.
The hero Ut this almost incredible
inciden. was Gen. George Norman,
the present Adju:ant General OF the
United Confederate Veterans. aud
Gen. Gordon's Chief OF Staff. He
and myself were both aides upon
the staff OF Gen. B 4. johnson,
who was in command OF our left in
that great battle.
The attack of the thirteenth upon
Col. Heiman's position was . fierce
and memorable onslaught, and it
appeared ut one lime as il the Fed
erals would succeed in forcing our
center. A supreme effort VAS be-
ing made to effect this, Scawartz's,
Taylor's, Dresser's, AcAllister's o.
and other batteries had been
brought up and placed by the Fed
erals upon the crests Of the hills
overlooking our ride-pits, ami sup
ported by immense columns Of
infantry. Outside of our rine-piss
timber had been felled aud inter-
Tapped, which made bats. This,
and the timber standing back Of 1t
was all filled with Federal sharp
shooters; they were even in tops Of
many OF the trees.
Col. Heiman's position can be
stated BY his own official report as
follows: .ss The ground
occupied in line Of defence was a
hill somewhat in the shape Of V,
with the apex at the angle, which
vas the advance point rs we'll As
the center Of my command, and
nearly the center Of the whole line
OF defense. From this point the
ground descended abruptly on each
side to . valley. -"
Immediately back of Col. Hell
mans position, aud halfway up the
hill opposite was an open space
about eighty yards vide, surrcund-
ed in tue rear with timber. In this
open space not a sign Of life could
be seen, 40 it received the concen-
trated fire OF tue Federale from all
around the V-shaped hull they 0ccu-
pied; even . head raised above OIL
ride-pits was Instantly shot of, and
50 thick were the missiles Of deaI!.
flying that anything ~ small IS .
ramrod raised above the ri6e-pits
was instantly shot away. Every
particle of this space was covered
with bullets, as could he seen By
the flying fragments Of snow and
Iice where they struck, and no com.
munication was had across this oper
lspace, only BY crawling along III.
riae-pits, or by the longer way to
wards Dover around through Ia,
timber.
| Az the Federals advanced, til,
IRE OF their infantry, artillery. ant
lsharpsh00ters both in front and en-
ilade was oil concentrated upO'
this open space, to prevent rein
forcements, which the conformation
OF the hills unfortunately made easy
As they were advancing aud tiri,,,
rapidly, Gen. JohusOn saw that hi
chin line could not withstand ID,
|, terrific charge, neither could he ex
pect help from any other part o
the lines. At this moment . c0urie
arrived from around through tn
timber, aud saluting Gen. Johuss,l
said: Col. Quarles with the forty
second Tennessee Regiment 10 i
tie rear of Col. Heiman's position
awaiting orders.'' ''GO back.
said the General, land tell Col
! Quarles to move hls command unde
cover Of the ridge into the ride-pits
and report to Col. Holman 70
orde;s."
But the rapid, onward movement
OF the Fcderals would not admit q
any delay. and seeing that the inu
ment had arrived, Gen. J0l.nsO
said, lit will take the courier som
time TO reach Col. Quarles. / wan
, one OF nv staff to reach Col. Quarle
Immediately. il possible. and orde
him 10 move up rapidly to Col. Hei
mans support" and turning :
| Lieut.. Norman he said, ssDo 20
think you could reach Col. Qaarle
across the field?" He replied, s.
do not, General, but il you think
actually necessary I will try" H
left his horse with as at our head
: quarters in the timber, about ball
way up the hill, opposite Col. Hei
I-...1. .~cn:ss~~ t~.~v~ ~phnpn Il