Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-04-09

side attacked there with the Army Of
the Potomac in December.
Fredericksburg battle-ground was not
confined to the terraced and walled
slopes of Marye's heights. 1t was there
that Longstreet strove with Hancock
and French along the bloody stone wall,
but miles away, OH the Confederate left,
Stonewall jackson was holding the des-
TIMES Of Lees army at the crossing Of
the pike and railroad over Hamilton
heights. Jackson line lay behind the
Bowling Green road and the railroad to
Richmond and in the pass the Federals
must secure in order to reap anything
from the capture of Marye's heights,
should that take place. The Confederate
infantry lay we'll screened in the woods
and the artillery ON ridges in real.
Meade division of Pennsylvanians, the
same troops that the Georgians had met
at Mechanicsville months before, oharg-
cd across the railroad into the woods
where Hills division stood in line. The
Nineteenth was on the extreme left OF
Archer's brigade and long distance
from the next brigade of the front line.
General Gregg's brigade of South Caro-
linians was in second line some rods
behind the first and out Of sight Of the
line of advancing Pennsylvanians.
Meade's foremost brigade saw the break
in the Confederate line ON the flank of
the Georgians and, swinging into the
unoccupied ground, brought up in rear
of the Georgians.
At the head of the Pennsylvanians
rode their leader, General Conrad Feger
Jackson, mounted on a superb silver
gray horse. Getting the better of their
natural admiration for courage, the
Goorgians, who were surprised and con-
fused at the turn of affairs, cried ont,
"Shoot the man on the white horsel"
and in few minutes the gallant soldier
reeled from the saddle, dead. But his
blow had been we'll struck. for not only
Archer's brigade but Gregg's in rear
and Thomas Georgians beyond the fatal
gap were thrown into confusion.
Colonel Turney was temporarily COM
manding Archer s men that day. Throw
ing himself in front Of the routed line
next the gap, he motioned with his
sword, laid out an imaginary position
at right angles with the old one and
Joined by the line officers around him,
shouted Into line, men; into linep'
Facing north, the Georgians rallied and
poured their fire into the intrepid Penn
sylvanians who had penetrated the gap
as far as where Gregg's Georgians stood.
Colonel Turney was shot through the
mouth and neck, and two men who tried
to carry him from the field were struck
down by bursting shell. More than
half the Nineteenth were surrounded
by the Pennsylvania, and the fighting
ranks were thinned out by bullets until
once more the gallant regiment was re-
duced to a handful But there was no
thought of yielding that new line even
though it was clogged with dead de-
tenders.
Suddenly there was crashing sound
in the brush far to the rear behind
Gregg's line and q thousand graycoats
burst into view yelling and shouting:
"Here comes old Jubal Let Jubal
straighten out that fence" They were
the men of Jubal Early's division, and
they Strengthened out the broken line,
sending the Pennsylvanians back over
the river plain never to return. jackson
held Hamilton heights.
The Nineteenth lost in killed and
wounded 81 men, the most of them in
fighting to restore the line after it was
taken by surprise. Soon after the battle
it was transferred to the Georgia brigade
of General A. H. Colquitt
In the battle of Charlottesville the
Nineteenth escaped with little loss, al
though it was in the front of the attack