Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-10-21

made stands at different places, and held
them until fianked out; he did this so as
TO give Lee time TO help him, as he was
being driven upon the rear of Lees right
wing.
The Yankees had been thanking and
forcing him back all day long and when
he made his stand at Salem church, he
was attacked by Sedgwick with the same
tactics and the same confidence as before.
but McLaws had gotten his brigade into
position in the nick OF time. In this at
| tack Sedgwick made his heaviest and
most determined flank move in front OF
! Semmes and Wofford on the left of the
line; as by this he hoped 20 connect with
Hooker, near the river.
The Yankees were astonished at finding
troops on the right and left of Wilcox
! they had not expected to have any fight
ing to do at these points. They also were
surprised in front OF Wilcox, for they
did not expect him to fiank-they thought
he would be gone as before. The Federals
came mourning through the woods right
mn TO our lines and when they were fired
. into we're close up, so that when our line
fired on them they fell thick and fast.
Numbers Of them fell right In the road,
and only a few feet from the lines. Their
loss was heavy in killed, wounded and
prisoners.
saw lots Of prisoners who could not
sneak a word of English, and who had
been in the United States only about thir-
ty days.
the boun.y, which at this time was about
$40 We called these fellows prisoners 90
OF war-that is soldiers 90 captured In
war. I have said to myself many times
since this: "Oh, soldierl how many sins
have been committed in your name?"
The resistance which they met in this
attack was so unexpected and so sudden
that they never rallied. and 1t put Sedg-
wick on the defensive.
We made no general advance after this
repulse. but simply maintained our posi-
ton. This was necessary, as before we
could advance, II was necessary to es-
tablish connection with Early on our
right.
while we were waiting for this TO be
done. we were shelled by the Federal ar
tiIlerv and as they could not see our line
because OF the wood in our front, the oc-
curacy Of their fire was study-they
burst shell and shrapnel right over and
at us.
II I remember correctly. the woods
caught fire in front OF Wilcox's brigade
and some OF the Yankee wounded were
burned. Finally, we got In touch with
Early on our right. and Kershaw's brig
ade, with the cooperation OF troops right
and left, charged the Yanks.
They shelled us heavily as we advanced
through the timber, and while we paid no
attention to the bursting shells, we did
TO the falling limbs and tops Of trees, ana
these were about as bad as the shells.
But the brigade pushed ahead In spite
OF shells and falling timber, and the oppo-
sition OF the infantry. and we forced them
out into the open country which lay along
the river.
when we had done this and had also
gotten out Of the timber. the Yanks lit
out-infantry, artillery, and all!
II was in the afternoon. We pursued
them towards Fredericksburg and also
towards the river but we failed to catch
or disable all of them; some got away.
When night overlook us in the fight and
pursuit was impossible, we halted at
farm house. The moon SOON rose, in fact
rose about the time night should have
set in. so that it was pretty light. !,
While we were here a lot Of mounted
musicians rode into my regiments line.
They were Federals, and had been out
during the charge. and in trying to get
with their own men after night fell into
our hands.
We captured a number OF Yankee SOL
diers In the same way while at this place.
All OF them came into our line from the
direction OF our right and rear.
We must have opened up a gap between
our brigade and Early, and thus these
ENeEAC N@~0ENNf NN--6
others.
The battle In and about Fredericksburg
and Salem church was important, and is
separate from the main fight at Chan
celorsville, for this latter was over before
that at Salem church had begun. But
from the way the battle of Salem church
was brought about we might consider
the fight there. at Fredericksburg and be-
tween the two places. as a scholium to
the main Observation-Disclosures or
the wilderness.
The fight was lively, interesting and
funny. The losses OF the Yanks under
SedgeWfck were greater in proportion TO
the number OF their opponents than was
the case around Charlottesville.
I never thought that our division and
Early's whipped Sedgewick, but when we
charged him his men thought Lee. Jack
son and the devil were after them, and they
fed from them, and not from us; for am
satisfied IL this had not been the case they
would have stood by their guns until we
got near enough to put salt on their tails,
when we would have bagged them all. AS
IL was, the river was their salvation.
Their surprise when they charged what
they thought was only Wilcox, and the
way they were handled and driven back
was funny; and the way they hit the grit
when we finally charged them was funny;
and the music the boys made with the in
struments we got from the band was fun-
ny; and the establishment OF the Yankee
band when they fen IN with us was like
wise funny.
Sedgewick's crowd was defeated by Gen
eral Astonishment. In fact, never think
about the battle OF Salem church without
smiling.
I enjoyed Comrade McBride's account Of
Il, and merely add this to his because I
think that something from every brigade
ought 70 be written so that the readers Of
The Journal can have a history OF the
battle.
Some accounts from the following com
mands ought TO be given; the brigades of
Barksdale, Wilcox. Cobb or Wofford, and
the brigades OF Earlys division. Espec-
tally should some survivor Of Wilcox's
Alabamians and Barksdales Mississip-
plans write OF IL, for around these two
center the most important and interesting
histories Of the events which led to the
/ battle.
Don't grumble because the Yankee says
he whipped US. but tell the public how we
licked them.
One individual cannot tell all that his
/ brigade did, because each regiment was
distinct organization. and rallied and ad-
vanced over different ground and follow
ed separate flags.
To be exact, then, each regiment ought
/ to have a historian, and such historian
should send his communications to the
i Journal. In this way we will have COM
piled a history Of 313 pages in a year
| have LITTLE randgon who saws ,aaf