The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-11-15

This pamphlet appeared today for the
first time, and containing, as it did the
unpublished account of the battle as the
chief Southerner in command saw it, found
ready SALE
The pamphlet is not remarkable for its
literary qualities, but as the generous, I'M
solicited expression of opinion of the COM
mander OF Mahone's brigade the publica-
ton Is destined to find place in ma
tional history
1t Is enclosed in a Confederate gray
cover and occupies twelve printed pages.
In conversation with William Malone
and Robert Butler Mahone,( sons OF the
gallant general, The News-Leader CORE
spondent learned last night that the
pamphlet embraces one of four battle
manuscripts of General Malone. Two OF
the remaining three are Sailors Creek
and the Battle of June %.
All four were offered for magazine pub
lcation few years ago, but the demand
for war literature was at a low eDb at
the time The members of the family hay-
ing the valuable papers in control made
no further effort to sell them, but put
them back in the strong box.
PUT OFF APPOMATTOX.
In the brochure which came out here
today General Malone says:
IF the mine--itself success, making
immense, breach in General Lees
works, unsupported by the reserve force,
and amid CONSERVATION all around the
breach rampart-had been followed mp by
a vigorous attacking column, and the
force had been there, it may not be too
much to say that the retreat to which he
was compelled nine months later, would
then have been unavoidable and most like
ly in the order of the devil-takethe- hind
most
The foregoing shows the Importance Of
the Crater victory in the opinion of Cen
eral Malone himself.
He estimated his force to be 1900 as
against $4,000 Federal troops.
General Malone says:
'sThe first / knew of the Crater, beyond
the tremendous report of the explosion,
came from a soldier, who, from there
abouts hatless and shoeless, passed me,
still going and only pausing to say: HI
has busted. .
General Malone say; he was directed
to send two of the brigades of his division
to General Bushrod Johnson. He decided,
however, that he would take the brigades
into battle himself.
A spicy paragraph or two deals with a
visit Of the little general to General john
sons headquarters. He expresses sur
prise that he found General johnson,
whom he thought would be with his men
opposite the point that had been blown
up. Instead, Johnson was complacently
sitting down to breakfast
HIS FIRST SIGHT OF CRATER.
Leaving Johnsons headquarters, the
narrative proceeds, General Malone re-
Joined his brigades, and moved towards
the Crater, which he found 'tcrammed
with Federal soldiers and thickly studded
with Federal flags
The sight made profound impression
on General Malone. He says, in his ac-
count
For the moment l could scarcely take
in the realty, and the very danger to
which I was for the moment exposed
came to my relief and babe me stand still
as the surest course for personal safety.
A moments survey OF the situa-
impressed me with the belief-so crowded
were the enemy and his flags, eleven flags
in less than one hundred yards-tbat he
was greatly disordered, but there in large
force"
Describing the attack which ensued,
General Malone says, in part:
1.-The Virginia brigade, with plunging
fire went into the works pell nell. Here
and now the fight was hand to hand and
the work of death by the bayonet and the
butt of the musket went on till all of
General Johnsons line, with the exception
of fifty feet and the pit, was retaken
To "clean up the job and restore the
full integrity of the Southern line, the
Georgia brigade was ordered to retake the
small part of the line still occupied by the
enemy. Owing to the terrific fire OF the
enemy, the success of the Georglans was
not complete.
General Johnson at this juncture, about
10 a. M, came upon the ground and set
] o'clock as the time when his men would
cooperate with the Alabama brigade
which was coming up.
GRIM AMUSEMENT.
In the meantime, General Malone, from
his account, proceeded to finish up that
mart of the enemy lying in the Crater
He suggested to Colonel Haskill, who was
looking for something to do, that he
N--NNN
been located some distance away.
The narrative proceeds: Il suggested
that if he could serve them l would have
them taken up to the outside OF the
Crater. where he could amuse himself
till o'clock; perhaps no such oppor-
tunity had ever occurred or would likely
occur for the effective employment or
these juvenile implements OF death
Colonel Haskil eagerly assented. Cen
era Mahone's account says:
Quickly Colonel Haskill was emptylng
the contents of the two Cohorns upon the
crowded mass which had been left IN and
confined to the horrible pit, which I'estl-
mated was, at this time. i'll the shape OF
goose egg cut half in two-20 feet long, 3c
feet wide, and so feet deep. While TINS
deadly work of the Cohorns was going on
sharpshooters sent back back to the pit,
dead or wounded. every man who attempt
ed to scale its sides and get away. and
bayonetted muskets of the dead were, like
javehns, hurled into the pit by those who
could do nothing more to hasten the COM
NIptlOn OF tho IN