The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-07-20
BEHIND STONE WALL AT FREDERICKSBURG.
HOW GEN. t. II. II. COBB FELL
graphic Sto'y of the Fighting Where
twenty-five Hundred. Confcder-
atcs Killed and Wounded FIVE
Thousand FcdcraIs.

The recent demise of Mrs. Thomas
Ii, IL. Cobb at her home in Athens, Ga.
recalls the tragic death Of ner brave
ana gallant husband, Gen. ". II. II.
COBB, on the 18th of December, 1862,
at the battle OF Fredericksburg, Va
General Cobb was in command at the
most Important point on General Lees
line ol battle, and his splendid defence
OF a strategic position gained the ad-
mlration OF the entire army. His loss
"aS sincerely lamentcd, not only by
MS own command, but throughout the
magnificent corps under Longstreet.
General Cobb was killed behind the
famous stone wall at the foot Of Marye's
Height, where for three days his com
mand, in snow and ice, had fought one
OF the tiercest battles Of the war. The
slaughter was terrific, seven or eight
thousand Fedcrals being killed or
wounded by Cobb's brigade and the
Confederate batteries on Marye's
hclGhts, while the killed in Cobb's
brigade numbered only eighteen.
Capt. w. a. Starncs, of Atlanta, was
in Cobb's legion, and was near the gen
eral when he was killed, Speaking OF
that fatcful day he said: General
Cobb was one of the bravest, the best
and the nOblest men the world has
ever known. His soldiers loved him AS
father and would have followed him
to the ends OF the earth. We had been
hghting three days behind the stone
wall. The weather was bitter cold,
and snow and sleet had been falling.
Ihe wall was several hundred yards
long and was at the foot Of the heights
upon which about one hundred Cunfcd-
crate guns were planted. When the
Federals would move out of the town
upon the open field five lines OF battle
deep, the cannon would play upon thetr
with terrible slaughter. General Cobb,
behind the stone wall, would order his
men to reserve their fire until tho Fed
erals were within easy reach.
Keep cool, he would say. Keep
cool. Wait until they come up; don't
lire until the order is given He moved
up and down the line, cons stantly Civ
ing these instructions with words of
Encouragement and himself showed
absolutely no fear. On the last day
Charge alter charge was made until the
Fedcrals literally made breastworks of
their dead. Just before Il charge some
OF our men exposed themselves and
General Cobb went to where they were
aud cautioned them to be more careful. |
az that moment a shell exploded above |
nm. one piece struck General Cobb |
in the thigh and he fell and blcd to
death. AS he was wounded the charge
advanced and the fire became terrific. |
In the midst OF the fearful battle and
as his life blood cbbed away he said to
those about him Hold your position,
boys hold your position: be quiet; Pm |
all right But he was not all right and |
IN few moments he was dead Two |
OF his comrades who tried to carry him |
rom 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,
the Sixteenth Georgia, the Eighteenth |
Georgia, and the Twenty fourth Gcor-
gia."
LONGSTREET'S DESCRIPTION.
General Longstreets graphic de-
scription of the fight before the stone |
wall is as follows:
In front of Marye's Hill is a plateau.
and Immediately at tho base of the hill |
there is sunkGn road, known as the |
telegraph road. On the side Of the |
road next to the town was stone wall, !
shoulder high, against which the earth |
was banked, forming an almost unap- |
proachablc defense. 1t was impossible |
for the troops occupying it to expose |
more than small portion of their |
bodies. Behind this stone wall | had |
placed about $500 men, being all Of |
Gen. I. II. Il. Cobb's brigade, and a
portion OF the brigade OF General kcr. |
shaw, both Of McLaw's division. 1t
must now be understood that the Fed |
erals, to reach what appeared to be |
my weakest point, would have to pass
directly over this wall, held by Cobb's |
infantry.
An idea OF how well Marye's Hill was
protected may be obtained from the
following incident. Gen. T.. =. Alexan-
der, my engineer and superintendent
OF artillery, had been placing the guns,
and in going over the field with him
before the battle, noticed an idle can
non. | suggested that he place it so
as to aid in covering the plain in front of
Marye's Hill. He answered, General,
we cover that ground now so we'll that
we will comb it as if with Il ine-tooth
comb. chicken could not i've on
that field when we open on it,"
little before noon, | sent orders to
all my batteries TO open fire through
the streets or at any point where the
troops were seen about the city, as "A
diversion in favor Of Jackson This
fire began at once to develop the work
in hand for myself Tie Federal troops
filed out Of the city like bees out of
hive, coming in doublc.quick march
and filling the edge Of the field in
front OF Cobb. This was just where
we had expected attack and | was pre-
pared to mcet it. AS the troops massed
before us, they were much ANNOYED by
the fire OF our batteries. The field was
literally packed with Federals from
the vast number Of troops that had
been massed in the town. From the
moment OF their appearance began the
most fearful carnage. With our artil-
lery from the front, right and left tear
ing through their ranks, the Federals
pressed forward with almost invincible
determination, maintaining their
steady steps and closing up their broken
ranks. Thus rcsolutely they marched
upon the stone fence behind where
waited the Confederate brigade of
General Cobb. AS the Federals came
within reach Of this brigade, a storm
OF lead was poured into their advancing
ranks and they were swept from the
field like chat before tho wind. A
cloud OF smoke shut out the scene for IA
moment, and, rising, revealed the
shattered fragments recoiling from
their gallant but hopeless charge.
The artillery still ploughed through
the ranks of the retreating Federals
and sought the places of conccalment
into which the troops had plunged. A
| n0f h III II