The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-04-11


line for the forward movement, General
Early rode the length OF the brigade
using. in that fine-toned voice of his,
something like the words: Boys. you
must do your duty" The line had stead
lily advanced a hundred yards or more
when body OF thick forest Of trees
and underground confronted the ORD,
into which the regiment marched, the line
at once becoming irregular and more or
less jumbled, by reason OF the natural OBJ
stacles to its progress. A this moment
General ID. II. Hill appeared, mounted,
in our front, and saying sharply to the
men, now confused in ranks and each one
commanding his comrades, "hush your
Internal noise" In an instant more the
right wing Of the brigade having great
ly the advantage of ground in marching.
as we believe, and thus coming first in
view Of the enemy's battery, received
their CALLING fire and was hurled back
by IA fury of shot and shell irresistible by
mortal force. The 9th n. G. made
gallant but fruitless charge. losing many
valuable lives, and the 23rd did not sup
port it at the critical moment. That
moment was Of the briefest possible span
like sea wave against the sea wall,
the charge bounded back Instantly.
Col. ID. X. McRae, Of the
9th n c.. alleged that the Ord was in
excusably derelict in duty. and that it's
Colonel halted the regiment in those
woods without authority. Col Hoke on
the contrary, maintained that Gen. Early
gave the order to halt Whether
the command of "halt" and Gle down"
was given to the 23rd a second sooner
than the batteries opened ON the assault
ing column, would be hard to tell, for
the action Of the Ord in hating and lying
down appeared to be about the same mo-
ment a portion of the assaulting force
was rushing pell-mell back upon its line
in the woods. 1t was all the work Of a
few minutes and the brigade, chagrined
at defeat and mourning the loss of many
gallant spirits, fell back in order Only
four or five men in the 23rd were wound
ed, and this by random bullets. General
Joseph r.. Johnston, in n conversation
! with the writer several years after the
wa, placed the responsibility for this
charge upon General d. Fl. Hill. He
said he did not order it made, but per-
mitted it. only, however. after repeated
requests from General Hill. The enemy
seemed content to hold his own, without
much further effort to advance his line
~ the shades of night came on During
the night. and early dawn Of the 9th, the
grand retreat was resu1sed The 9Th
Of May found the army on the march
without mouthful to eat, as the wagons
had gone far ahead towards Richmond.
On the evening of the 9th the Chicka
hominy was reached, and here the wag-
OnS were overtaken. much to the delight
of dropping hearts and hungry stomachs.
On this day, while bivouacked on the
banks Of the river. the reorganization of
companies in the 23rd regiment took
place. and new regimental officers were
elected, as follows: Daniel III. Christie,
Col; Robert d. Johnston. former Cap
tain of Company X, Lieutenant-C Colonel;
Fd. 7. Christian. former Lieutenant of
Company G. Major: Vines e. Turner,
former Lieutenant Of Company G., Ad-
jutant.
The battle of Seven Pines was fought
ON the 31st Of May. 1862 Here the Ord
received the first real baptism of fire"
The attack was made by General John
ston, with a view Of capturing or de-
strOying two divisions of the enemy which
had been thrown forward to the South
ern side of the Chickahominy The
brunt Of the fight was borne by d. H.
Hills division. to which the 23rd belong
ed. Samuel Garland. Jr, a Virginian,
now commanded the brigade The four
brigades of Garland. Rodes, Anderson
and Rains. stormed the enemy's camp
and captured everything as it stood, with
twelve pieces OF artillery. while General
Casey's headquarters and official papers
fell into the hands Of the brave Confed-
crates. At this point Of attack the vic
tory was certainly complete; and il
equal progress had been made to the
right and left OF the centre, then might
General Johnston's anticipations have
been fully realized in the capture or de-
struction of the two divisions, with which
purpose in view, as already indicated,
the attack had been made. 1t is not our
intention to attempt a studied description
Of any battles, nor indeed, is it essential
to the purpose and limited province of
this sketch. Besides, it is difficult
matter, even from the testimony of
eye-witnesses and participants and with
complete data in hand, to describe
the position of any one regiment relative
to that Of another in battle. And again.
with reference to true Confederate sol
diers, what is said of the fighting quail
ties and achievement of one command
may, with proper exception and quail
fication, be said of another-for indeed
were they "Romans-all." We would, to
compass our wishes, recall the scenes
of each battle and impart to them de-
scriptive glow that might in some de-
gree at least measure with the grave
reality at the time they were enacted.
Time inevitably casts a dimness over
any event, however dear to the heart it's
memories may be; and we can not hope
at the best to give to those scenes more
than feeble semblance of what they
really were. We would, were it practi-
cable, give experiences in words that
burn to the high-born purposes and re-
solves that stirred the hearts of those
gallant spirits who fell in the discharge
Of duty, and around the critical hour of
their fall would we throw halo of
glory that, reaching forward, might con-
secrate their names for all time to come.
But the task is above our skill, and we
must be content in the hope that we
shall be able to place ON record simple