The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-04-30

i ,force against our new line. He was all
lowed to como within good canister
range OF our breastworks. Carriers
division of artillery then opened a most
m,irdero,ls fire of canister and spheri-
cal case shot, which at once arrested
his advance. threw his coluinnn Into con.
4 fusion and forced him to "a tlisortlerly
4, retreat. His loss was Very heavy; ours
was nothing, This attack fairly Illus
trates the immense. power Of artillery
well handled. A selects force OF 10000
i Or 2,ooo infantry was broken and driven
i from the field In less than thirty min
1 utes by twenty-nihe pidces of artillery
/ alone S !,
This account. given in the published
| reports OF each side, seems somewhat at
variance. looking at 1t from opposite
sides as we do. It may not, therefore,.
be out OF place to speak OF the action as
1t must have appeared to you. You
were Quietly posted In tho now line or
| works on 1Iwell's front and had been
there nearly SIX days with scarcely o.
picket fire on your Immediate front.
| on this morning you had finished your,
simple breakfast and WIRE standing
around waiting events Of thn day. Non
were aware TINT n movement by the
enemy was going on beyond the old line
of works. and certainly you had no
knowledge that lie had started at day
light the attack OF our real lines. II
these movements took place ut 4 or
4:so a. M. they must have been what
he terms capturing" the first and sec.
ond lines, and for the purpose OF getting
into positions and arranging for the
assault when 1t did take place. The
old works were deserted days befor> and
needed no capture, and no Confederate
works Will, troops behind them were
captured this day. About s a.. NJ. ut
q nj ~ fo ~ ,of jo,,
of tho enemy in and near the old de-
serted works apparently about to adj
vance. and tho pickets and skirrllsheG
of tho Confcderatcs were called in. "a
were astonishcd at this. and could not
believe a serious attempt would be made
to assail such a line as Ewcll had in
open day, over such . distance. Every
one on the Confederate side felt that
such an attack was reckless. and hope
less In the extreme. So when 1t was
found that q real assault was TO be
made, It was welcomed as an opportu-
nifty to pay off old scores. You were
ordered to- take your places at tho guns
and ito fire on these troops with solid
shot through the woods and with shells
through the cleared Openings. Soon tho
encny's guns opened Oh ours. but with
scarcely q response to them from us on
this front; his purpose With the masses
OF infantry in view showing clearly wheI
our flro should be concentrated. This
infantry In the column formations as they
arc described in tho reports. stepped out
rapidly, with their lmuskets ut fright
shoulder shift."lin successive lines, appar-
emily several brigades deep. we'll aligned
and steady, without bands, but with flags
flying q most magnificent sight cover
Ing Ewell's whole front as far as could
be seen. AS this host got well under way
YOU wero ordered to change your fire to
case shot. BY this time the assaulttns
columns Increased their gait to q double
quick and on they came shells and case
shot tearing great gnpsfin their ranks, tho
roaring guns and waving lines Of infan-
try still advancing,t tho scene vac won
dcrfully inspiring.
i You were ordered to be ready with can
lister, tho enemy still 5nvancing, but shnky.sl
Soon bis front columns camc within can
ster, tho enemy still advancing but shaky.
combined canister and case lie could not
stand. and broke In confusion. leaving the
field IN disorder and his dead in front Of |
our works. AS soon as the infantry had /
been driven from the field. you were Or
dered to cease firing" not knowing II
this or other infantry would repeat the.
assault The enemy's artillery still con-
tinued firing at our lines, az they had
done throughout the assault. AS our guns
had rcpulsed his infantry. 1t was urneces-
snry to waste ammunition ut long
ra ngo in practice OF artillery against ar
tiIeryt Probably this is why some OF
the reports speak Of sllencing your guns
Not gun was struck or even mporarl-
" disabled during this action
It is Impossible to CONCEIVE that any
such dramatic scenes took place in this
ssault, OF infantry lines standing in front
Of the slashlngs and baths delivering vol
eys into our works, as some OF these re-
ports Indicate. No matter What or
lers for retiring had passed to the rear Of
The assaulting columns those in front
we're absolutely routed. jss
That q hopeless undertaking was I'M
,osed on brave, veteran, soldiers. the very
flowers Of the Federal army, in this ct
fort, there can be no doubt, but the
ask was Impossible, and they did all that
brave men could do. Some OF the finest
officers In the Federal army were there,
many since distinguished In both milf
AIRY and civil life; Lieutenant General
Miles. Major General Brooke. Governor
[lartranft and others were there.
There should be no reflection on these
brave men, though in greater numbers,
INV more than on Pckett's men In a slim
liar effort at Gettysburg.
p f:tSst