The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-02-20

charged across an open field in face
of the heavy fire, and captured nine
cannons which had been playing upon
it from the eninence. Colonel Cole
man, with the modesly of the soldier,
contents himself with the simple
statement, and says no more.
The commander of.another brigade
also claims the honor of the capture,
terrifying his statement with certiti-
Gates. from various subordinates. The
division commander refers to both
reports. but does not decide between
| them. He intimates. however, that
out of the abundance of captured can
mons, both brigades may have taken
the number claimed.
This made it necessary for us to
collect all available evidence. and sub
iect it to the United States Commits
sioners the night before our actual
inspection of the ground. Reports.
maps and other printed matter were
thoroughly examined and discussed,
and we were assured that should the
morning survey confirm the cOnclu-
sions arrived at, we could regard our
contention as successful.
The next day after establishing the
point where the guns were massed,
we walked up the long slope of Dyer's
field, over which ten or twelve divi-
sions had fought, and second com
parison of all the evidence available,
made on the very spot of the conflict,
! SO plainly showed the Justice of Col
| onel COleman's claim, that we were
directed to drive down a stake mark
ed with the regiments name. the date
and the fact of the exploit, at the To-
cation contended for.
3. The attack of Breckinridgs on
the Federal left Sunday afternoon,
and the desperate fighting for the
State road in kelley's field. We had
no memb Der of the Sixtieth North Caro-
lima with us, their regiment having
participated in the battle here as a
member of StovaIl's brigade, but as
two of our party on the field were en-
gagged with the brigade which received
the charge of the Confederates. and
had special cause for rem-m bering
every incident Of the struggle there,
we had no difficulty in establishing
the location. Again reports and
maps were brought out, one paced of
the distance, another read the state
ment of brigade and regin,ental com
manders, General Stewart consulted
the maps and announced the decision
rhe result was that an oaken tablet
suitably inscribed, was put up on the
side of the road marking it as the
~pot where the Sixth North Carolins
Infantry, at noon, September Goth
reached the farthest point attained
by the Confederate troops in thai
famous charge.
| 4. 1t remained now only to trace
the route Of the Fiftyeighth Infantry
from where it crossed the river, tl
the scene of its magnificent achieve
ment on Snodgrass Hill. Three O
our Commissioners were survivors o.
that regiment and under their guild
ance, consulting as ever the reports
and maps, we had no trouble in fol
lowing its path from its first service
supporting batteries, across the field
Just traversed by the Thirtv-ninth
to the place where, about the middle
of the afternoon this command, never
before under fire. plunged into the
bloodiest struggle of the battle anC
one of the deadliest conflicts of th,
war Here it was at the base and VI
the crest of wooded hill, that Long
street hurled six divisions in an at
tempt to drive Thomas to retreat. The
slopes up which it toiled, the ravine'
through which it fought its way. wer'
again trodden by some of its .old off
GERS. and after the fullest-discussion
careful examination of printed and
verbal testimony, inspection anc
measurement of the ground. th'
point where the topmost wave of thu
tide of Southern battle broke nearer
than any other to the unbroken line:
of Thomas defense. was agreed by III
all to have been reached by the Fifty
eighth North Carolina Infantry
During its three hours fighting here
the command lost one half of its mel
killed and wounded. This poin
designated by the tablet which W
put up, was not a stones throw from
the place selected by the Second Min
t nesota (FsderaD Regiment, (whos
: loss was precisely the s.me) for it
monument.
I We may be pardoned for sayin'
that such an interview has seldom
t taken place upon the battlefield as W
witnessed. There were six veterans