Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-07-11

splintering IT. just In our front. My
mind at once reverted to a picture in
Harper's Monthly Of the crossing of the
bridge in Lodi, in Abbotts Life OF
Napoleon"
A SUPERB EVOLUTION.
AS the head of our column cleared the
bridge, the clarion voice Of Captain Nc
earthly rang out: forward into battery;
left oblique, march, Never have 1 seen
an evolution more beautifully executed.
Across the field we rushed in echelon in
he face of a terrific fire of mimic bull
let's and canister. Front" came the
order Halt Action front" and each
piece came up In turn on the alignment.
Then every man stood to HIS post, as
though on dress parade. A shot took
off the sponge head in John Mci<enna's
hand; another cut through Lieutenant
Nommo's hair; one cut away Orderly
Sergeant Blackador's hayersack; mimic
ball glanced from Robert Stless suspen-
der buckle; another passed through both
lapels OF John Royals Jacket. and yet
another struck him on his belt buckle,
cutting through his clothes, infiicting a
wound which gave him an e." though
he never left till after Malvern Hill, and
from which he felt effects for a yesv.
The field was alive with missiles, and yet
there being line holly engaged in our
front one could not fire a shot. A severe
test OF true courage, as General stephen
ID. Lee told US on the battlefield OF
Frayser's farm, just before we moved
TO Malvern Hill. Howitzers, saw your
gallant conduct on the battlefield OF
Sayage's Station, when, as though on
dress parade, you stood, and took
heavy fire, the severest test of the courage
of a soldier. To-day viii be your chance.
You will be in the front" Bilious that,
but it was received with three cheers
and tiger. Our brigade, witnessing
the whole, forever after swore by us. [
say lever after" because until this event
they rather looked upon us as play sol
diers. we dressed so finely, and upon tho
occasion OF a rather unfortunate tar
get practice, While in Loudoun county,
with some very inferior guns and ammu-
milton sent up from Richmond for a
fort above Leesburg, they had given ut
terance to the opinion that, If Maryland
was turned up sideways we could not
hit it,"
The very breastwork near which we
camped that night was found, the very
spot recognized, when. the next morn
ing. General Jackson, riding up the Will
liamsburg road. Joined General Lee, and
the latter, drawing n diagram on the
ground. clapped his foot on It, and the
shout went up, 'Afarse Bob's got EN-"
Returning up the Williamsburg road, we
soon reached the Seven Pines electric
car We walked over to the battery 20
see those cuts left by the cannon wheel.
How plain and perfect they were, though
much OF the breastwork has worn away.
How hard TO have 10 disabuse the public
mind OF a belief SO long INDUCED in but,
our experience as cannoneers at once
showed us that no gun could have re-
bounded I'm two such straight and perfect
~ parallel lines, and to such distance
eight or ten feet-in new-made earth, In
that country, after such a wet spell. for
IL was only during the Seven Pines fight
that these works were ever attacked.
Fortunately for US, during our advance.
they were hastily evacuated, during tho
seven -days' fight. These guns were zen
barbette," and were fired in many direc-
tons. and the ruts would have CORE
sponded. Plainly, they are where the
pine sills rested, for the platform on which
the guns were worked. McClelland was
an engineer, and would never have
trusted TO new-made earth on that
swampy ground. 1t is true this battle
OF savages station was a minor AFFAIR,
but it tried our mettle. With us was Mr..
Trinlos, who, with one Of Aliens maps,
rendered us great assistance. NJ.