The National tribune., 1902-03-13

up, surveyed the scene and promptly or
dered Gen. Duke to attack the interposing
Federals.
BATTLE AT BULLS GAP.
'High sight it is. and naughty, while
They dive into the deep defile,
BY rock, by oak, by hawthorn tree,
Troop after troop are disappearing,
Troop after troop their banners rearing"
Having been sent to the Shenandoah
Valley; | was not at Bulls Gap; there
fore, prefer to let Gen. Duke tell the
story of fight in which he was a con-
spicuous actor:
"In obedience to Gen. Breckinrdge's
order, / attacked the enemy and drove
them into the gap. They twice returned
and were as often driven back. Gen.
Vaughn had been sent to make demon
strations in the Federal rear, and the dis
mounted men had not yet arrived. After
the third trial outside of the works the
| Federals cOntented themselves with she'll
| ing us. / then witnessed q singular Incl
dent. One man was literally set on fire
| by shell. | saw what seemed to be n
ball of fire fall from n shell, just exploded,
and alight upon this poor fellow. He was
at once in flames. We tore his clothing
from him and he was scorched and scared
| from head to foot.
"All that night we stood in line of bat
tie. The enemy's pickets were short
| distance in our front and fired every time
we made the slightest movement. The ar
| tillery came up in the night and was post
ed upon commanding position protect
ed by my line. The dismounted men also
arrived during the night.
'On the next morning at daylight the
dismounted men and $50 of my brigade,
in all some 800 men, were moved to the
| extreme right to assault the gap from
that quarter. Gen. Vaughn was instruct
ed to attack it in the rear, and Col.
| George Crittcnden with $50 men, was
| posted to support the artillery and to
make demonstrations in front. The right
was the real point of attack, Gen. Breck-
| inridge hoping to carry the works there,
| the other movements being intended as
diversions. The enemy's force, as shown
by captured field returns, was about $500
| men.
.'By climbing up the steep mountain
side, my men gained the ridge on the
right at daybreak. The position to be
assaulted was exceedingly strong. Two
spurs of the hill, on which the fOrtifca,
tions were erected, run out and connect
with the mountain upon which my com,
mand was formed. Between the two
spurs is an immense Eavine, wide and
deep. The SUBMITS of these spurs are
not more than 40 yards wide, and their
sides are rugged and steep. Across each
and right in the path of our advance.
| eaIthworks were erected not very for,
midable themselves. but commanded by
the forts. A direct and n cross fire OF
artillery swept every inch of the ap.
prOach. About the time we reached the
top of the mountain Major Page opened
with his artillery OH the plain below and
we Immediately moved upon the enenC's
| works. Col. Ward crossed the rayine
| with the greater part of our column, and
moved upon the left-hand spur with
probably 100 men of my brigade. A mum.
ber of the men of the hastily organized
companies, of the dismounted command
hung back in the ravine as Col Ward
advanced, and did no service in the fight
DESPERATE ASSAULTS.
"Gen. Breckenridge directed the assault
in person. Col. Ward pressed on vigor.
ously, and, despite the hot fire which met
him, carried the line of works upon tho
right, but was driven out by the fire from
the fort, which he could not take. He
returned repeatedly to the assault. and
could not be driven far from the works
Upon the left we advanced rapidly, driv.
ing in the enemy's skirmishers, until
when within 80 yards of the earthworks
the men were staggered by the fire, halt,
ed, and could not be made to advance
Both ridges were completely swept by the
enfilading fire, which each now poured
upon us. The enemy once sprang over
the work upon the left and advanced
upon us, but were driven back The men
were much CALLED by the fire at this
tpoInt. Maj. Webber had but one com,