The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-09-04
An Error in Current History
Corrected and Now Put NJ
to Record.
WILLIAMS CARTER |. : W NJ : N
The Life Story Of a Brave Viz .ilrr:..
ginian Compiled for Per
81 mal1ent Record.
2, n. iii7l No 4 q

tS35fS
Captain ". HI Chapman. who wa i'assi II the l's
commander. of the like 4 Art illery ana %
afterwards lieutenant-c olonei of Mostly 8
y bat talon some years ago went to con-
siderable trouble to correct: certain errors ''
concerning his Battery. and so far as We VI
know tho correspondence between him
ssR md General Longstreet has n ever been
published. Here 1t is:
Atlanta Ca. August q, 1851.
General James onEstreet, M "a 1
a Gainesville, Ga. }S
jEs3$S Dear General. have long thought Of
u ask ing You, as a matter Of Justice to the
officers and men OF my ba ttery Dixie q r.
i tillery from Page county, Vas), ass$Wei!i
ii 10 myself and for the truth OF his ory,
ia SET Alright the ma tier US to whose bat
i terry twas that broke up the charge q
Fitz John Porters corps at the second
battle Of Afanassa Just tren i've. years
ago. 81 $ IS I, !.
4 For some una accountable reason history l4st.'
dfes mot give the name of the bdttliy "
referred 10 in the official reports Of our
self and General c. NJ. Wilcox. az the
4 one which first opened fire unde your
S5tmmelliate eye, In from Z OF w hitting 9 orl-
pad. 81 Hoods division. on the EFT OF
the Gainesville and Alexandria turnpike.
# at $50 p. n. on the Slt u gus AZ iso1.
~ General Long IN his n eHoirs OF $tton-5
err E. I,ee. in writing Of this battle. sass,
KS on mage 1ss: AT the critical mo ncns.i
IA e henS{tte fate of Jackson corps Was
A trembling in the balance, Colonel lee Zee
dashed with ilisfartillery into position
II that enfiladed the Federal TiGnt WIDE
and hurled upon It a storm 59l s.io. 81.
Il shell AT the same moment l>ongsitlr e 81 >
s infantry rushed q like a tempest salhs,t
Pone's left. driving everything before ~
This assault was irresistible, and specs
ilya decided the fortune OF the day Pope $
left wing gave way before ~ "a Z every
point, and his right, e beang ass 7s ~
flank and threatened IN rear. era l. Aea tea 5
forts and began TO rctir y
ss5 INIT he painting by Philiepeteau, Of The
Ia file which has been on exhibition x
the a"Cyclorama OF the Second latte y.
Manassas in Washington. y. Co Ior
u twelve months, 1T IS there jrepres eIltci
l8 mat the artillery commanded by Colonsl
En- SD Lee opened the attack on and broke
;i5 IN fla charge tIItz John Portrr's corEs,
$ from q nositinr on the left Of SNilcox's
VI division, while the battery erred TO "
yourself and General Wilcox sis not repre-
scented, and tie dsitions from Wn:ch II
4 fired is left a blank On the canvas, as ! q
a as batteries arc concerned.
a IN your report published In a' official
3: records Of Union and Confederate
Armies. series r. Vol. XII. part IT.,
page 5i5, YOU say:
AZ $50 O. clock In the afternoon rode
10 the front for the purpose Of conf
pletipg arrangements for making di-
version In favor Of a flank movement
il then under contemplation. Just after
reaching my front line received mes mes
sage for reinforcements for General
ia ckson, who was said to be severely
= Z, IAN, amin
portion OF the encny's masses attacking
jackson were Immediately within my
t view and within easy range of batteries
An that position. 1t gave me an adj
vantage that had not expected toahave.
and Il made haste 10 use It. Two bat
teries were ordered for the purpose, and
& ono placed in position Immediately and
opencd just as this fire began l re-
ceiyed message from the commanding
general, Informing me Of General Jack
sons condition and his wants. Asst was
evident that the attacks against General
ckson could not be continued ten min.
81 ,,tes under the fire of these batteries
j made no movement with my troops. Be-
fore the second battery could be PLACED
IN position the enemy began to retire
and in less than ten minutes the ranks
were broken and that portion Of his arm,
nut 10 flight. A fair opportunity was OF
s5f fered me- and the intended diversion wal
j 81 changed into an attack. My whole lin
WIZ Was rushed forward&at q charge. TIL
troops sprang TO their work and rnove'
.EE forward With all the stcadness and firm
ness that characterized war worn vet
&. Grams The batteries continuing their pla
upon an open field In line Of battle. N
rout OF this portion Of the enemy's line
S9s and my attack was. therefore, mad
against the forces IN my front. @
In the report OF General e. NJ Wilcn'
M published III tho same volume, page 90
lie says: About 1880 y. ~. the enemy
" infantry were seen emerging from, roa
lpo nan open field In line of battle. III
81 wood and field being in front of JACK
3sj8 son,s extreme right aud TO the left an
near Feathefstones BRIGADE. this fiel
about 800 yards widc3tcrminating l5o YARD
from Jackson's line. the ground hel
rising rather stesply for short distanc
S3. and then level to the railroad, behind y
& 4 mbankment of Which al this point we
Jackson's men. Seeing this adyance
the enemy. repaired al once 10 the ]
{ n IA teryal between Pryor's mud Feathe
Bs stonls I,rigades4 From this point the
\ was an excellent View Of the field, ~
siiet more than 400 yards distant 4
4 II II first line Of me enemy advanced IN y
ttyle across the open field, There V
&, but li,tie 10 oppose then, .Thsy we
h fired ppon by our pickeis and sk
naisbers. hut they Continued 70 acran'