The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-07-21
GEN.. T. R. R. COBB.
Graphic Story of the Fighting Where
Twenty. Five Hundred Confederates
Killed and Wounded Five Thou-
sand FedoraIs.
atlanta Journal.

atlanta Journal.
The passing sway of Mrs. Thomas
R. r. Cobb recalls the tragic death OF
her brave and gallant husband who
fell in the battle of Fredericksburg.
General Cobb was killed behind the
famous stone wall at the foot Of
Marye's Heights, where for three days
his command, in snow and ice, had
fought one of the f%ierccst battles Of
the war. The slaughter was terrific,
seven or eight thousand Federals be-
ing killed or wounded by Cobb's bri-
gade and the Confederate batteries on
Marye's Heights, while the killed in
Cobb's brigade numbered only Is.
General Longstreet in one Of his war
papers in the Century Magazine, gives
a graphic account of the battle, and
an extract from the paperi is published
further along in this article.
Captain W. A. Starncs, of Atlanta,
was in Cobb's legion, and was neal
the General when he was killed.
Speaking of that fatcful day he
said
General Cobb was one of the brav-
est. the best and the noblest men the
world has ever known. His soldiers
loved him as a father and would have
followed him to the ends of the Garth.
We had been fighting three days be-
hind the stone wall. The weather
was bitter cold, and snow and sleet
had been falling. The wall was sew
cral hundred yards long and was at
the foot of the Heights upon which
about 100 Confederate guns were
planted. When the Fcderals would
move out Of the town upon the open
field five lines of battle deep, the can
non would play upon them with terri
bic slaughter. General Cobb, behind
the stone wall, would order his men
to reserve their fire until the Federals
we're within easy reach.
"'Kcep cool, he would say. Keep
cool. Wait until they come up don't
fire until the order is given He
moved up and down the line, con-
stantly giving these instructions with
words of encouragement and himself
showed absolutely no fear. On the
last day charge after charge was made
until the Federals literally made
breastworks of their dead. Just be"
fore o charge some of our men exposed
themselves and General Cobb went to
where they were and cautioned them
to be moro careful. At that moment
a she'll exploded above him. One
piece struck General Cobb in the
thigh and he fell and bled to death.
As he was wounded the charge ad-
vanced and the fire became terrific.
In the midst of the fearful battle and
as his life blood ebbcd away he said
to those about him Hold your po-
s%ition, boys hold your position be
quiet I'm all right But he was not
all right and in a few moments he was
dead. Two of his comrades who tried
to carry him from the field were shot
and killed. He was one of the most
heroic men ever seen in battle, and
one of the coolest.
''The brigade behind the stone WALL"
continued Captain Starnes, "was COM
posed of Cobb's legion, Phillips
legion, tho Sixteenth Georgia, the
Eighteenth Georgia, and the Twenty
fourth Georgia. I was in company Z
of Cobb's legion, of which ". B.
Lowe was captain. Ex-Sherif j. j..
Barnes was in company B."
General Longstreet's description OF
the fight before the stone wall is pub
lished below:
In frontof Mayre's Hill is a plateau,
and Immediately at the base of the
hill there is a sunken road, known as
the telegraph road. On the side Of
the road next to the town was a stone
wall, shoulder high, against which the
earth was banked, forming an almost
unapproachable defense. 1t was i'm
possible for the troops occupying it to
expose more than a small portion of
their bodies. Behind this stone wall
I had placed about $500 men, being
all of General T. R. R. Cobb's bri-
gade and a portion Of the brigade
Of General Kershaw, both of McLaw's
division. 1t must now be understood
that the Federals, to reach what APP
peared to be my weakest point, would
have to pass directly over this wall,
held by Cobb infantry.
An idea of how we'll Mayre's Hill
was protected may be obtained from
the following incident. General E.
?. Alexander, my engineer and super
intendent of artillery, had been plac-
ing the guns, and in going over the
field with him before the battle, |
noticed an idle annon 1 suggested
that he place it SO as to aid in cover
ing the plain in front of Mayre's Hill.
re answered, General, We cover that
ground now so we'll that VIC will comb
it as if with a ine-tooth comb. A
chicken could not live on that field
when we open on it"
A little before noon, | sent orders
to all my batteries to open fire through
the streets or at any point where the
troops were seer about the city, as a
diversion in favor of Jackson. This
fire began at once to develop the work
in hand for myself. The Federal
troops filed out of the city like bees
out Of a hive, coming in double-quick
march and filling the edge of the field
in front Of Cobb. This was just where
VIC had expected attack and l was pre-
pared to meet it. As the troops mass
cd before US, they were much annoyed
by the fire of our batteries. The field
was literally packed with Fcdcrals
from the vast number of troops that
had been masscd in town. From the
moment Of their appearance began the
most fearful carnage. With our artil-
lcry from the front, right, and left
tearing through their ranks, the Fed
erals pressed forward with almost in
vinciblc determination, maintaining
their steady step and closing up their
broken ranks. Thus resolutely they
marched upon the stone fence behind
where waited the Confederate brigade
of General Cobb. AS the Fcdcrals
came within reach of this brigade, a
storm of lead was poured into their
advancing ranks and they were swept