The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-03-16


namely, Fort Haskell and Fort Mech.
vesy-dtstant respectively so and 100
yards, There was also an intrenched
line of infantry and batteries connect.
ing these works and a second Intrench-
ed line hundred yards in the rear. One
mile in rear OF this position Grant had
military railroad and telegraph ex-
tending the whole length Of his In
trenched camps, Gordon's success
would depend upon bis cuttlng the ieie.
graph and railroad to delay the bring
Ing OF Federal endorsements on the
scene.
General Gonion's story continues:
General Lee sent me. in addition to my
own corps porticn OF I.ongstreets .
corps (Pickett's divisionl. a portion OF
A. F. Htlrs and a body OF cavalry. Dur.
ing the whole night OF the a4th OF March
| was on horseback making preparations
for dispossng OF troops. About 4 o'clock
in the morning called close around me
atty axmen and four companies, loo each,
Of brave men who were selected to do
this hazardoos work. | spoke to them OF
the character OF the undertaking and OF
the last hope of the cause which was
about TO oe contlded to them Around the
shoulders of each man was bound a white
strip Of muslin. which Mrs Gordon, who
sat In room not far distant listening for
the signal gun. had prepared as a means
of recognition OF each other. The hour
had come. aud when everything was
ready / stood on the hreastworks Of Col
quttt's salient and ordered two men 10
my side with rifles, who were to fire the
signal for attack. The noise OF moving
our own distractions was going on and
attracted the notice OF a Federal picket
In the darkness his voice rang out:
Hello, there, Johnny Rehl What are
you making all that fuss about over
there
The men were just leaning forward for
the start, The sudden call Disconnected
me somewhat, but the rifeman on my
right came 10 my assistance by calling
cut In cheerful voice;
''Oh. never mind us. Yank. Lie down
and go TO sleep, We are Just gathering
little corn. You know. rations are mighty
short over here"
There was q patch of corn between our
lines. some OF It still hanging on the
stalks. After few moments there came
back the kindly reply OF the Yankee |
picket. which quite reassured me, He
said:
IAN right, Johnny. Go ahead and gct
your corn. | won't shoot at YOU"
Bang! Bang" Two shots broke the /
stiffness. and / commanded. Forward" /
The chosen t@l sprang forward eagerly /
followed by the axmcn. and Tor the Last !
time the stars and bars were carried 10 !
aggressive assault. In a moment the .
axmen were upon the abatis Of the en-
emy and hewing II down. | shall never +.
know how they whisked this line Of wire I
fastened obstruction out Of the way The .
100 overpowered the pickets sent them
to the rear, rushed through the gap made
by the axmen up the slope Of Fort sted.
man. and It was ours without the firing
Of single gun and with the loss Of but
one man. He was killed with the bay
onet.
The three companies who were TO at
tempt to pass the reserves and go into
the rear forts followed and passed on
through Fort Stedman. Then came the
,ther troops pouring into the fort. We
| think, 9 pieces OF artillery, II
nortars and about GO or 100 prisoners
lmong whom was General Mclaughlin,
who was commanding on that portion Of
he Federal line Many were taken in
heir beds.
now anxIously awaited 10 learn the
ate Of %e 30 who had been sent In
companies Of 100 each TO attempt the cap
ure Of the three rear forts Soon q mes
enger reached me from two officers COM
handing two Of these chosen bodies. who
informed me that they had succeeded in
passing right through the line Of Federal
eserves by presenting themselves es
Federals and had certainly gone far
nough TO the rear for the forts. but that
heir guides had abandoned them or been
est and that they did not know In what
Erection to move. II was aftcrward dis
.oyered when daylight came that these
men had gone farther out than the forts
nd could easily have entered and captuf-
d them II the guides had not been lost
n had done their duty. OF course after
lawn they were nearly all captured, be-
ng entirely behind the Federal reserves.
In the meantime the few Federal SOL
iers who had escaped from the fort and
we had captured had
pread the alarm and aroused the Federal
rmy The hills in the rear Of Grants
ines were sooD black with troops. BY
he time It was fairly daybreak the two
orts on the main line fianking Fort
tedman (Fort Haskell and Fort McGil-
ery1, the. three forts in the rear and the
eseryes all opened up upon my forces
We held Fort Stedman and the Federal
10 the (Appomattox river
r nearly so, but the guides had been lost.
nd In consequence the rear forts had not
cen captured. Failing to secure these
1rts, the cavalry could not pass out the
could not be destroyed and the
slegraph wires were not cut
In addition to these mishaps, the trains
ad been delayed, and PiCkett's division
nd other troops sent me by General Lee
ad not arrived The success had been
rilllant 30 far as 1t had gone and had
cen achieved without loss Of any con-
squence to our army but 1t had failed In
he essentials to a compsSsa guccess or TO
great victory. Every hour was bringing
eavy re-enf5rcsEtsnta 20 the Federals
nd rendering my position less and less
,nable. After a brief correspondence
18th General Lee II was decided to with.
raw My loss, whatever II was, occurred
! Withdrawing under concentrated fire
ON forts and infantry.
Among the Confederate officers lost
as Major Grady Of Gordons staff ia
ler of the late Henry w. Grady, the
oted Georgia journallst). Major Ora
= was shot dead In saddle about fifty
ards from the parapets of Fort Has
ell while leading charge to silence
le guns of that work as a cover to
ordon's retreat. This charge was
ade in full daylight, and Major Ora
? in person came under my own eye.
One feature Of the battle General
orIoD nobIy passad over in silence. II