The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-04-17
A FEDERAL TRIBUTE
TO GEN. J JENKINS.
croDhic Description of the Bat
tie of the Wilderness where
He Was Killed.

Graphic Description or the i'ht-
1c of the Wilderness Where
He Was Killed.
Mr.. II. Il. Lackie, of Detroit, Mich,
who was an officer III the famous Six
teenth Michigan regiment, writes to
tbo Atlanta .journul correction of
Tho statement going the rounds that
Ccn. Micah jenkins was killed at
gettysburg, and gives in detail the cir
cumstances connected with his death
in The bate of the Wilderness on the
9Th of May, 1864, to which is added a
glowing tribute to Gen. jenkins from
,he pcn of this gallant Federal officer:
The circumstances connected with
the death of that very distinguished
officer were as follows: All day the
5th and until about 10 a. III. the 9th.
General A. =. Ihll's corps had been
contcndiny against vastly superior
numbers of Federal troops. On the
fatal morning Of the 5th Hancock had
advanced his corps on 1lill's position,
and forced the latter almost back to
his artillery line badly broken and
worn out by irccssant fighting. Dis
asIcr 70 the Confederate army seemed
assured General Lee was with the
artillery and directing the rc-forma-
,ion of the broken lines. lie had sent
for his old war horse IOn4strcct)
and was anNiouslv waiting his coming
ALWAYS reliable and on hand at the
rich, moment, he is seen coming down
the Orange plank road, his magnificent
men on the douhic-pmck, rcsistless rs
the ocean tide. GrrSS's Texans arc
dcployed into line and Immediately adj
vance with that never to be forgotten
veil, The immortal Lee springs to the
front TO lead them: they halt. He
must 90 back or there Will be no adj
vance of Texans. \ bronzcd faced
demon OF the battle front gently
takes the bride rem and turns
the head OF his charger. Lee
sorrowluny rides over to Long
street; ON goes the Texans. Loud
roar The cannon with shottcd breath,
and more awful the yell, Of battle de-
mons.
The Texans strike llancock's cXult-
ant advance; the shock is tremendous !;
neither line rccoils; but the tangled
forests trcmblc, and the nGlcu-hmrcd
ed Texans and the veterans of Han
cock settle themselves down to the sci
cncc of butchcriny one another. The
slaughter on both sides is awful. Ben
nins's and Laws briyades come tC
the aid of Gregg and take u hand il
The work that is on; with y yell The
whole line charges. The Federal lin,
Is forced back, but Wadswolth comc
to the aid of Hancock; the tide of bat
tie Gibbs and flows. " adSwOrth j
killed; l.onystrcet strikes the Fedora
left flank; rolls it up in confused
mass toward the plank and back OF
the Brock road. Everything now in
indicated a complete victory fo
the Confedcratcs. General Long
street rode forward to prepare an
take advantage of the opportunity
inllct u decisive blow on Grant
army. With that end in view Jcl
kin's fresh brigade is moved fOrwar
to the plank road.
Supplemented by kcrshaw's brlgad,
General Lonyslrcct moved forward I
rcconnoitcr the situation, accompanlc
by General Jenkins. Mahouc's me
seeing a movement in their front and !
the mdistnct view obtained owing
the density of the forest mistOok the
for the enemy and fired, killing Il
gallant Jenkins and wounding Lon
street, Il most lamcntahlc mistake.
As a Federal soldier | know that
will not be expected Of me within
scope of an article intended fn! I
close call department, to write a b
graphical sketch of 80 distinguished
officer as General Micah Jenkins, W,
fitted for the work, which | am l.
Vet the temptation IS so great to :
something more, that | venture Il bl
retrospective view Of that hcro's "
record, and under my own obscrvatl'
AS colonel of the regiment dcsignnt,
the Palmetto Sharp Shooters OF SO,
Carolina, we joined him ut the bal
of Manassas, or Bull Run, rs the +,
erals have it, III the hottest part
that field, near the Henry house, il
down the slope, where 30 many of
Hampton Legion fell, and where Va
ant deeds and good Scneralsh
crowned the young Confcdcra
with victory and everlasting fame. ]
Bcauregard, Jackson, Bee, BarLc
and Kirby Smith, the latter Il citiz'
of Connecticut, under General NJ
gruder, we find the gallant Colon
jenkins within the defcnscs of Ior
town.
After the evacuation of that stron
hold Jenkins regiment, with Other
covered the retreat and facing about
Williamsburg met the ovcrwhelmin
advance of the enemy, inhicting teri
bic loss IN his ranks and checking hi
advance until the Confederate arm
and subsistence trains are at a SAT
distance, and proper line Of defcne
established. At West Point an
OTHER places his regiment had fougl
the hard battle of the rcarguard unit
the army was safe Oh the south sid
of the Chickahominy river, his regl
ment having suffered untold hardship
and severe losses in men and officers
for which he received just recognition
for his gallant and mcritonOus conduc
in face of an overwhelming enemy.
Next we find him nj the hattie q