The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-07-27

their onset which was the opening of a
score or two of their guns about
clock to the right and leTt of the posi-
tion they supposed to be still occupied
by Laws Brigade; their fire converging
ana crossing in its rear, apparently for
the purpose of effect On reserves or re-
Inducements. More than a generations
years have since gone by, yet the MEM
CRY is still distinct of the dim, cloudy
dawn; the drizziing rain: the huge old
cherry in the oat, field Just back of the
cory branch, under which stood the adj
varced ordnance, wagon; the half-lSin-
dled camp fire; details rushing back for
an munltion; the crash and explosion of
shells in the tree overhear and all
around the fright. rearing and kicking
of teams out eff harness; the breaking
open of ammunition boxes with axes;
gun butts and everything else available;
the speeding back to the front of the
details with cartridges slowed in sacks,
boxes, hats, pockets, shirt bosoms and
shirt aprons. the crashing In every di-
rection of timber cut down by cannon
shot, conmingled with the rush and hur-
rahs of ten thousands of Federal sol
diers, said to have been artincIally made
insensible to danger; the answering
che ers from our line; the burst and
sweep of canister from Howitzers and
Nanuleons loaded to their utmost: the
fiercest, deadiest fire that ever came
from muzzle-losders; and after the first
moment, the absence or all dread, or
SCI Sc of danger, expelled by a supreme
consuming frenzy TO crush and destroy
every opposing person or object. I'M
pressions and experiences such as these,
can he forgotten only when memory it
self has persisted.
The sleep IF Laws worn out men end-
ed almost in beginning. Just after four
o'clock their assailants, evidently still
isr GRANT of the change in their position.
came on, until, reaching our old works,
without resistance. they felt themselves
assured victors already, raised loud
shouts of triumph. and pushed on, APP
pafently not dreaming of what was just
before them. Eye witnesses, cool and
reliable, have stated that they rushed
over those works in many successive
lines. above one of which was borne
flag blazcned, '"To Richmond or to HE'LL
and have compared their movement to
the rolling in, one after another, of great
sea waves. They covered and black
ened the whole eastern half of the field
in our front, from end to end, without n
shot from our line; the orders being to
hold fire until the enemy had come
where our batteries on either hand could
rake them almost from flank to flank.
This point was from $50 10 200 yards to
our front When it was reached, end all
arms opened, the affair became at oEce
a butchery, and en- our immediate field
was decided in fifteen minutes. though
feeble efforts were continued there and
elsewhere for some time longer. The
dark masses that baG exuftantly rolled
over our abandoned works were plowed
TIN ough transversely by canister, and
their numerous lines, one behind the 9TH
er. were smitten by the direct fire of
Laws mrsketry, which could hardly fail
Of effect among such multitudes. All
statements to the contrary, the fact is,
that not hostile foot came within so
yards of Laws Brigade on its immediate
front, and when the smoke of battle lift
ed, only the dead, dying or disabled were
TO be seen there between our old and
new works, often in heaps.
Some conception Of the work done by
Laws men on that occasion may be de-
rived from the fact that they pegan the
fight with $4,000 cartridges, We're sup
piled with rs 900 more, while II was in
progress, borrowed several thousand be-
sides from commands next to them, not
so heavily engaged, and still had to be
rc-supplied with ammunition on the
same day Hot as Gernrd's I-renchmen,
at Iigny, they demanded, More cart
ridges and more Yankees,
Grants heavy efforts We're almost en-
tirely on our immediate front, and to our
right, and were plainly intended to inter-
pose his army between us and the Chick
ahominy and Richmond, six miles south
Of il. On Breckenrdge's front. to our
right. he broke through; but In few
minut es was CALAMITY driven back with
some loss, by Finnegan's Brigade. The
fighting en- our left seenser TO be, and
from, all accounts was, comparatively