The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-03-25

RESISTANCE na0 not met them at tn
falls.
But Lee kept his counsel and lie
Grant pass unmolestcd to the south
bank. When the federal army hac
been swallowed up by the wilder
ness then the great Virginian laun
ched his ragged but elastic battalion
upon the bulky federal column.
Neither Grant or Meade believed i,
other than a faint to dctain that arm,
while Lee was hurrying to the Nortl
Anna to erect another barrier to thci,
progress.
The Confederate chicftain entered
the Wilderness" fight with but
E"clls and Hills corps that gave him
but $4,000 muskcts, yet with his &C.
customcd audacity, he ~savagcly as
saultcd the moving blue mass md
soon changed the formation from NOV
ing column to battle line. The two
parallel roads, the turnpike and plank
road, formed the means of travel
through the tangles Of tho wilderness.
Heith and Wilcox straddled the latter
road and for a whole day with 1000
men withstood the successive shocks
OF Hancock with more than 40. 600
troops. Their losses, in resisting
so overwhelming a forco, was neces-
sarily very heavy. The nervous ten
sion was also excessive, so that when
night dropped the curtain Of darkness
upon the blood-stained field, these two
ovcrworked divisions dropped in their
tracks from sheer heroic exhaustion.
They had been Informed they would
be relieved and replaced by fresh
troops, therefore we're they anxious
for this to occur under cover of dark.
ness. Longstreet was expected be-
fore midnight, but losing his way. he
was hours behind in getting his corps
up to the field.
Grant had issued the ~laconio order,
attack along the whole line at 5 a.
H. and Hancock strengthened and
refreshed, promptly renewed the at
tack at the appointed time. So hack
cd and gashed, Wilcox and Heath
were ill-conditioned to meet the
w~cightier forces of the enemy and
gavo ground before Hancock's aggres.
sion.
Extreme was the peril when the ad-
vance Of Longstreet came on the field,
and no n appreciated that peril more
than the Confederate commander.
Heading Longstreet's corps came
Gregg's Texans, heroes Of Cold Har-
Dor, Second Manassas, Sharpsburg,
Little Round Top and Chickamauga.
Their absence with Longs.reet at
Uhickamauga and in east Tennessee
had kept them separated from their
loved commander so that their appear
ance on the Wilderness field was the
scene Of their first meeting in many
months. Riding upon their flank
General Lee greeted them as old and
tried companions. He told them he
would personally lead them in the at.
tack upon Hancock.
Though great was the peril TO the
army these Texans could not believe
1t was 80 sever as to necessitate such
a duty from General. Lee. Riding
with them as they began to line. under
the fierce fire Of Hanoook's veterans,
they then seemed to comprehend Gen
eral Lees purpose. He could not be-
lieve the danger great enough to wei.
rant auoh q tremendous risk Of saori-
fee. Under that storm of FIRE these
Texans halted aud requested Generol
Lee to retire. They became urgent,
but he persisted. The Texans refused
to go forward and demanded that Cen
eral Lee should retire. Obeying the
mandate Of his comrades, q tall lank
form clad IN ragged gray kindly but
firmly took Traveller" by the rein
and led him with his precious burden
to the rear.
The Texans had executed a moral
contract. It's redemption meant
streams Of Texan blood. Bowling their
heads to the hurricane of missiles that
beat pittilessly upon them they threw
themselves with savage energy upon
Hancock's centre and there burst from
800 warlike voices that fierce yell that
mar ever yet heard unmcved upon the
field Of battle; and striking the mighty
blue giant crushing blow in tho solar
plexus it rceled and staggered. The
federal TANKS overlapping soon closed
the gallant Texans in a ring of FIRE,
when elton" Beeuregard, "Tige"
Anderson, with their splendid Geor-
gians, and Laws superb Alabamians
joining in the bloody melee, forced
the mighty blue line from aggression
| to defense. The Texans redeemed