The National tribune., 1902-08-21

ment, within 80 feet o. the cnemy's last
| line"
Reporting upon the action of his three
brigades-Harker's Wagner's and Kim
balrs-Gen. Newton says:
'.ft haying been demonstrated that the
enemy's works were too strong to be
taken, the division was: withdrawn, leav-
ing our pickets in the captured rif1e-pits,
| where they afterward were relieved by
Gen. Stanley's Division. Apart from the
strength of the enemy's lines and the nu-
merOus obstacles which they had accu-
mulated in front of their works, our want
| of success is in great measure to be
| attributed to the thickcts 'nand under
growth, which effectually.. broke up the
formation of our columns and. deprived
that formation of the momentum which
| was expected of it. Beside the enemy's
| musketry Our troops were exposed to
heavy fire of; canister and case-shot."
Maj.-Gen. Jefferson o.. Davis, in his re-
port upon the assault, says: go.
Early on the morning of the 9th the
brigade commanders accompanied me to
the ground and familiarized themselves
with it. McCOok's and Mitchell's Brigades
| had been designated for this cOnspic-
uous duty, and at 3 o'clock were massed
| in an open field in rear of our breast
| works tnOw occupied by MOrgan's Bri-
gade as a reservej. some 600 yards from
the enemy's line could the troops be
massed without receiving the enemy's
| fire, both Of infantry and artillery. The
ground to be passed over was exceedingly
| rocky and rough, and a considerable part
of it covered with forest trees interspersed
with underground.
''The signal was given little before
8 O'Clock, and the troops, following the
| example Of their admired leaders, bound
ed over our own works, in the face of
the enemy's fire, and rushed gallantly for
the enemy, meeting and disregarding with
great coolness the heavy fire both of ar
tlllery and infantry to which they were
subjected, until the cnemy's works were
| reached. Here, owing to exhaustion, pro-
| duced by the too rapid execution of the
movement. the exceedingly rough ground
| and the excessive heat, the troops failed
to leap and carry the works to which
| their noble daring and impetuous valor
had carried them McCook had fallen,
| dangerously wounded, and Harmon, next
| in rank, had assumed command, but fell
| Immediately. Dilworth, the next senior
in rank, promptly took command of the
brigade, and with great personal gallan-
try held his command to the fierce con-
| test now being fought so near the works
that number Of both officers and men
were killed and wounded at the trenches.
MitchelIi Brigade, moving in column par
| allel with McCook's, received and re-
turned the fire with the same impetuosity
and invincible determination, but failed.
| from the same cause, to carry the works.
THE position of the troops at this
| juncture was one of extreme sOlicitude,
and presented a problem of some diff
Guilty Of solution. To retire. and thus re-
| ceive the full effect of the enemy's unre-
strained fire, now considerably dimin-
ished in severity by the effect of our own,
| was sure to incur an additional loss. A
renewal of the assault in the present ex-
hausted condition of the troops was ex-
ceedingly hazardous. Under the circum-
| stances, after thorough examination of
the ground and the enemy's works. re-
ported to Mai Thomas. and recon-
mended that the position be held and the
troops intrenched where they WERE This
| he ordered to be done. and intrenching i'm
plements were Immediately furnished the
| troops. and both brigades threw up works
4 few yards from and nearly parallel to
| those of the enemy. This was done un-
der fire so severe that at times it might
| also be termed general engagement.
works thrown up under such circum-
stances were of necessity Of rude char
acter. but sufficed to protect the men un-
| til night, during which the whole COM
mand intrenched Itself in excellent works.
During the succeeding six days the posi-
ton was held, the troops sleeping on their
arms ut night"
Gen. Morgan l.. Smith, commanding
the assaulting column from the Fifteenth
Corps, reporting upon the assault, says:
After passing n deep, swampy ravine,
the line fixed bayonets, advancing, moved
steadily and rapidly for the enemy's
works, amidst shower of shot and she'll.
Officers and men fell thick and fast. In
addition to the Steepness of the ascent
trees had been fellcd and brush and rocks
piled in such manner as to make it i'm
possible to advance with any regularity.
| Officers and men still pushed forward.
Reinforcemcnts Of the enemy were seen
coming in from the right and left. Within