Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-07-25
TEE BATTLE OF WILLIAMSBURG.
AN ACCOUNT BY ONE WHO PAhIi''-
PATED IN 1T.
SATISFACTORY ENGAGEMENT
THAT WAS GENERAL JAMES 10
KEMPER,s OPINION.
AND The WRITER AGREED
s.. and Incidents of the Fight
Part Borne by HIS Old Bris"oe-
c....-other Confederate Mat
ter.


To tho Editor Of the Dispatch:
ho,o read somewhere that Geneidl
,o,n.s + Kemper said. q short time
before his DEATH that the battle Oh WI"
,ornsburg was the most satisfactory
O., he WINS ever engaged in. was
close 10 General Kemper on that o"S'
ard have often thought the same
ching l have never read correct Oh
satisfactory account OF that battle Oh
a. une in which General A. j. III
1,r,oade was engaged. Two Of the iesl-
nents OF that brigade were the seventh
and Eleventh. Colonel Kemqer comiiiaIu-
ed the former and Colonel Samuei '''-
land the latter, and when the line OIL
hattie was formed the left company Oh
the Eleventh rested on the right oil 'he
Seventh. and my place near the leit Vi
this company placed me very close 10
Colonel Kemper who took his position
at the right Of his regiment; and II Is
of the fighting along the line Of these
two regiments that ] propose to give an
account as / saw and heard 1t on thaI
day
The brigade had tho evening before
passed through Williamsburg and slept
on their arms just west OF the town
Early next morning It was evident to all
that a fight was on hand. McCleliand
was pressing on General Johnson's rear
n little too closely 10 suit him, ana
General Johnson determined to give him
a taste Of what was in store for MIN
later on. General Hilrs Brigade, as well
as other troops. infantry and artillery
was marched back through the town,
and lust at tho eastern edge we turned
10 the right through the fields and the
brigade was massed in - deep hollow.
Other troops we knew we're in the wood
n few hundred yards in front, and we
were In position as their support. other
troops and batteries had passed on down
the Yorktown road towards Fort Nc
Gruder and the other forts ana breast
works east OF williamsburg. l remember
L.atham's Battery dashing by us as we
marched along the streets at a full gal
lop. Latham's men were we'll known to
many Of the Eleventh. and some Of our
bows hallooed 10 them as they passed.
asking II they were going into the fight.
Yes" shouted back one of the men.
sLathams Battery Is always in the
fight" Firing could already be heard TO
the front down the Yorktown road.
There were no forts or bleastworks i'm
our front. nor was there any artillery
with the brigade. We did not have to
walt long before the bail opened in our
immediate front Sharp musketry firing
commenced I'm the woods IL lasting only
a short time, however. About the time
Il ceased the brigade was ordered for
ward. not in line OF battle. but by the
right flank. As We entered the woods
General Pryor, i think 1t was. and few
men came out and moved OFF 20 the left
along the edge Of the woods. Soon after
getting into tho woods we were ordered
into line of battle by the command, "Py
the right flank into line, march," The
woods were very thick, and we could
only see short distance in front Fol
some little time after the line was formed
there was a death-like stiffness. II was a
cloudy. misty dark morning and the
woods were filled with smoke from the
late firing. We could see no enemy ir
front. nor were any of our troops who
had been engaged visible, and IL has al
ways been a mystery 10 me what hecam,
OF those troops. We could see and smell
the smoke from their guns. but not q
man was secn except, perhaps, a dozer
who came out OF tho woods as we wen
~
GIVE IT TO THEM.
II was not long. however. before some
OF the men. who were pceping througf
the woods. spied a line of men throuci
a slight opening. at a distance Of about
one hundred yards. only a few files oil
the men could be seen; they were stand
ing OF order arms and the line seemed
20 run little obliquely 10 ours. They
appeared 20 have on blue uniforms. Col
onel Kemper, who was close by, wa,
called; he looked at these men ant
thought they were Yankees. but was 10
certain. Just then General Hill cam,
along down the line from the RICH.
and Colonel Kemper called to him Gen
erai Hili leveled his feld-glasses on tn,
line, and in a moment said; YES. the,
are Yankees. Give Il 10 them" ColOne
Kemper's clear, ringing voice, immedl
ately broke the stiffness with, Now
boys. i want you 10 give II 10 thosl
blue-coated fellows. Ready aim hrel'
At the first command every muske
was raised 10 the shoulder and leyelled
every eye ran along the barrel at tn
command aim. and al the command fire
sheet Of flame shot forth from the line
Very few OF our men could see tn
enemy. but every man shot straight q
the front the guns on a level and ne
doubt. the first volky did much eXecu
ton. The firing was kept up FOR few
minutes, when Colonel Kemper's vote
was again heard above the roar of IN
muskets He said: General I'm say
the line must be advanced" Not mai
moved forward. but ali continued loadins
and shooting as rapidly as possible
Again Colonel Kempcr shouted louce
than before: General Hill says the lin
must be advanced" AL this momen
General Hin came In front OF the line
pistol In hand lie wore dark-blu
blouse or overshirt. fastened at the wais
with his swort belt; had on military cal
with a sprlg OF pine fastened In front
and az he went forward. waving nj
pistol over his head looking back ove
his shoulder. and calling 10 the men t'
follow, he made a splendid picture o.
the gallant soldier that he was The
whole line rushed forward at once, IN
-ss---- I-------- - I-A. ~e' s.At learned