The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-06-04

ms ms ,,,e,,,by the eight companies that
participated in the charge, whist mace ma. 2
IN Of nm exceedingly fine BODY Oh Biiiiua ~.
men, were, With probably me en, eSae'e ~
,,ndrilled and undisclplned men; ~ o.ne 2.
words they might nlmost he tet,neu Inv. inM
recruits. Whilst the brigade was laying IN,
in the edge of the pines ,ne - i ,hs niry
Irnmsn 10 wc were facing General jack
son rode along in line and dlrGcled me =
look out for the oncmys artliiery ana tfS,.t ~
wait until the enemy were were I Uharna I,i,xG
hats The battle was then raging " our J.
front md right and our forces still being
driven back. it..,, ., ~.
About this time. or soon tnerenIi,e ,,,.
some men, dressed in red, presunaIp, " y
Feierals appeared in the. bushes OH the = 2
Ieft flank OF the regiment, ana s olile "
the men OF the left company iirea a.. a.
them, and about the same time so ON =
shots from the ene m ave ari the Sesiment
and tore up the ground uncoinLor 'i, :.
near TIC men, and the two things 10 70
gether coming about the same Isa =,
caused considerable confu;s,i s, ~ t,at p the
most trying position that raw men, ana
even the best disciplined and braves 81
could be placed in, was to be requlrea ~
remain stu, doing nothlig.anI.a Iece' !.
the eicmys fire without returning turning it,
feared the consequences, IL strictly OBEY !.
ed General Jackson's orders; therefore II
was that gave tho orders TO charge,
contrary to his order to walt until the ., :.
enemy was within thirty PAGES, the enemy ~
being much further Off at atrsinle. !.
From this you will readily see how u
happened that the Thirty-third made me
charge before the other regiments mace
charge q rarely made than was then
made by the Thlrtythlrd dhough IN not not
a very good order). The men moved OF
with the greatest alncty, killed and drove
off the gunners shot down t tnsr ar 1ii
lery but the loss was so great, tnerc pe sn
ing about forty-three killed. and liO
wounded altogether.
wounded altogether we were forced
fall back in the face of dead
~ fire and overwhelming numbers
and this was the first check the enemy
received UP to that time. Very soon
gade made a charge and captured an IN
other battery. The pieces taken by the
1,hirty-third were situated considerably Q
\ the left ms we were facing) Of the Henry
House. and the pieces taken by the other
regiments of the brigade were somewhat
In the same line. but nearer the Henry
House (the Robinson House being sti!
The right mt o brd Ge bt re q
bride OF one OF the artillery horses and
gave me afterwards, which have USED 60
ever since and have now. i am lnclined
that the battery or pieces taken by the
4Thirty-third was Grif1n's,i and that the
one or pieces taken by the other resi-
ments Of the brigade was Ricketts,; or
In front Of the brigade: 1t was placed in
two sections, the one on the left. taken
by the Thirtv-third, and the. other, IN
the same line, but nearer the f,e, Henry ie,1ry
by the Thirty-third was also retaken by
athe brigade.
/ think, however, It is more proba BILE
position near and to the left Of the Henry
House. With batteries or sections OF hat
teries at two different points near and t 20
the left Of the Henry House: VIII readily
account for the Thirty-third taking one
and the other regiments taking the other,
and also rctaking the one CAPTURED by the
Thirty-thrd
RIErAKING OF THE ARTILLERY BY
THE BRIGADE.
There are two things, however, about
which there can be no doubt-one that the
Thirty-thrd. being Mt the time on the, eN-
IRENE left of our army. charged alone
thereof on our left, and that the, rest
OF the brigade Immediately charged and
took a battery or SECTION or one nearest
the Henry House. and as now recollect,
If not mistaken, retook the one previously
taken by the Thirty-third, numbers OF
the Thirty-third falling in with other
regiments as individuals and not$as
charge by the Thirty-third before the
time arrived to execute General Jackson
order for the reasons before gwen Every
regiment CALAMITY did It's Whole duty the
other regiments likely doing more fighting
than the Thirty-third, owing to the heavy
loss sustained by 1t in making the first
charge alone and the dsorganization tina,
followed.
/ had frequent talks with the officers OF
the brigade after the fight and never
knew of any difference Of opinion as tt
the action of the different es!ments o.
now. In a fight. Of course, every on on.
sees more clearly what takes place In HI:
immediate presence, and no doubt many
things were seen by others OF when
dence In my possession from others o
the Thirty-third which more than sus
tain my account of Tie acton OF WI
Thirty-third. From having been some
| what unwell, my hand is little tremu
! lous. but | hope you may PC a6ie .
! wade through this badly written letter
| and II YOU tire before you reach the emo
| you can stop and take it in broken doses
| 1 should have written you clean an,
| better account of the part performed b;
the Thirtythird and the rest Of the bri
gade at the first battle Of Manassas, bu
you must be satisfied at present with this
+ should regret very much for any con
| troversy to arise as to the part per
| formed by any regiment OF the brigad
l that was lmlnortallzedi on tne eVenlil
| 2lst of July. 1861. when all behaved 8
CALAMITY and are entitled to tho ,conso
! Iation Of knowing that their full dut
was we'll performed. But as you are
editor. though ] may be over CAUTIOUS !.
you will not make public my letter tn
whole brigade measured up to Its fu
standard OF duty. made its reputatio
4 and then let 1t rest. Ever since the, clos
OF the war have had great longing I
/. visit the Valley of Virginia, but the tim
never seemed opportune, but still chez
ish, perhaps, the vain hope Of doing s!t
/ AS age advances, my heart irstinctiyel
turns to old friends and old things ma n
OF whom Chat Is, friends) I fancy l ,Woul
meet In the Valley. / shall be please
to hear from you any time when you NJ
at leisure, and in the meantime 7 renal
ARTHUR c. CUMMINGS.
Abingdon, May 1G. 1888.
Il tcn6xyryT pTT1rcy, Hf