The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-09-13
TWO GALLANT SOLDIERS
extracts From Maj, Robt Stiles Book. -Four
Years Under Marse Robert

e"SHiy came right on; the officer COM
IldndlnS the center brigade riding a
codi pIack charger, carried the colorS
IN MS hand. Willis said he came on
with great plunges. The whole line
thus calamity lead rushed upon Jack
sons men with enthusiasm assured
OF victory. A hundred yards nearer,
and the full fire from Jacksons line
burst upon them. The officer on the
black charger was miraculOusly unhurt,
his men rallied and pressed on after
him. For a moment it looked as if he
would actually leap into the cut upon
his foes, but the next moment the
great horse reared wildly and fell back
ward upon his heroic rider, who jam
med the color staff into the earth only
ten yards from the muzzles of Jack
sons muskets-a moment more and the
whole magnificent array had melted in
to a mass of fugitives
Again Jackson rode down the lines:
Half an hour men, only half an hour;
can't you stand it half an hour" And
now, as Willis said, it seemed as If
some of the men exhaled their very
souls in shouts, while others too much
exhausted to cheer, took off their hats
and gazed at him in alteration as he
passed. The enemy reformed, began
again to advance and jackson quicken
ed again his horses gait. They are
coming once more men; you must
stand it once more: you must stand II
half hour
Gould they have stood it? We shall
never know-for before the mighty
wave broke once again into the crest
and foam of the actual charge, the
Texas brigade was on Jackson's right
and Old Pete and Old Jack together
swept them in the counter charge, like
chaff before the whirlwind.
II have not pretended to give Col.
Willis exact words. and yet in my
memorandum account of his visit to
cur camp above referred to, 1 incor-
porated his words as nearly as l could
recall them, and have now conform
ed very closely to that memorandum.
81 never listened to more vivid de-
lineation of strategy or battle. He was
thoroughly stirred while uttering 1t, ana
it's Impressions upon US may be gath
cred from Col. Cabell's words. as he.
Gibbes and I stood watching Willis as
his figure disappeared in the thick
pines: Stiles there goes the only man
1 ever saw who 1 think, by possibility,
might make another Jackson!'
'In less than month from that time
he was made brigadier general for
brilliant service in the field, and the
very next day yielded up his glorious
young life in battle, dinming the luster
the altar of his country, was sacrificed
this gallant knight, The second excerpt,
will make from -Four Years Under
Marse Robert, will prove equally as
interesting to the reader of the News.
Adverting to the inception of the ter
ribly bloody battle of Second Cold Har-
Dor, Maj. Stiles said: In the after
noon DIST June, 1864, a furious attack
was made on the left of Hoke and the
right of Kershaw; and Clingmans the
left brigade of Hoke and Wofford's, the
right brigade of Kershaw gave way,
and the Federal troops poured into the
gap over piece of marshy ground
which had not been properly covered by
either of these two brigades. Both Field
and Pickett sent aid to Kershaw, and
several of the guns of our battalion-I
am not sure of which batteries, though
think two belonged to the Howitzers,
came into battery on the edge of
peach orchard that sloped down to the
break, and poured in hot enfilade fire
upon the SO far victorious Federals,
who, after a manly struggle, We're
driven back, though we did not quite
regain all we had lost, and our lines
were left in very bad shape.
while Wofford was bending back
the right of his line to connect with
Hoke, who even with the aid sent him,
had not quite succeeded in regaining
his original position, Kershaw's old
brigade, which had more perfectly re-
covered from it's little contreternps.
was pressing and driving the enemy,
both advancing and extending it's line
upon higher and better ground, feat
1t could never have been able to ac
complish but for the aid of one of Cal
IoWays guns, which under the COM
mand OF Lieut.. Robert Falligant. of
savannah. Ga, held and covered the
right Hank of the brigade, coming into
battery and fighting fiercely whenever
the enemy seemed to be holding the
brigade in check, and limbering up and
moving forward with it while il was adj
Vanclng: and thus alternately advance
ing and firing until a fresh Federal
Iorce came in and opened fire on the
rlght hank, and all of Fal1ieant,s
horses fell at the first volley. The enc
my made gallant rush for the piece
put they did not get it. It was in hat.
terry IN moment and belching fire like
ID VoIcano, and very hot shot. too.
me brigade whose flank it held now
sprdns 70 It's defense and after a. flri-
Gus night the gun was for the. present
pile UP dirt. 4s anu
Inc brigade did not, however. adj
vance one foot after Falligant's horse
were shot, but it was considerably in
advance of WOffords left, with which
1t was not connected at all until the
entire line was rectif1ed on the night
of the End Nor was there at anv
time Confederate infantry soldier to
the right of this piece. nor a spadeful
of earth except the little traverse
we threw up, to protect the rear of
the gun.
1T may just as we'll be added now
that this lone gun held the right of
Kershaw's brigade line that evening
and night-it was getting dark when
the extreme advanced position was
reached-and all the next day, and was
moved back by hand on the night of
the End of June. l have no hesitation
in saying in all my experience as a
soldier I never witnessed a more gall
liant action then this of Lieut. Falli-
CANT and his dauntless cannoneers, nor
do l believe any officer of his rank
made a more imortant contribution
than he to the success of the Confeder-
ate arms in the great historic battle.
up to the night of the End of June,
when it was moved back, every time
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