The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-03-01

| date presence of the enemy, back to
their original position across the
Groveton pike, about a. m. on the
| Goth Of August. AS / was prepared to
| lie down and rest for the few remain
Ing hours before dawn, one of my off,
| GERS informed me that Gen. Richard
Anderson's Division was bivouacked in
mass just In my front. Knowing that
some 80 or 40 pieces Of artillery bore
directly upon his troops, / mounted my
horse. rode off in search of his quar-
ters, and urged him to hasten his with
| drawal, as the Federal artillery would
assuredly, at daylight, open upon his
men thus massed, and greatly cripple
his division. Anderson had been
marching all day. in order to join Gen
Lee, and did not halt until he found
himself I'm the midst of Federal and
Confederate wounded. Upon my warm
ing, he promptly aroused his men and
just after daybreak, marched to the
rear of my line of battle. The pike was
dry. and his division, as it moved back,
left cloud Of dust in its wake, which
circumstance, / have always thought,
induced, Gen. Pope to send his cele-
brated dispatch to Washington to the
ERECT that Gen. Lee was in full retreat.
The Battle Mt the Railroad Cut.
My troops remained stationary
greater part Of the 30th, quietly await
ing orders to again advance. About
1880 p. m. a furious assault was made
upon Jackson, within full view of my
position. Line after line was hurled
against his brave men, posted In
railroad cut, from which they stub
bOrnly resisted every attack. / sent for
battery (Reiley's If / mistake noD
and ordered 1t to open upon the flank of
the enemy's attacking column, whilst
Col. ). ID. Lees artillery, together with
the remainder of Maj. Frobers batter
les. plOwed deep burrows through the
Federal masses as they advanced to
and recoiled before the "Stonewall" up
OIL my left. So desperate was the as
sault OF Pope, and SO fixed the deter
mination OF this commander, or some
OF his officers, to force the troops to
fight. that line was, apparently, sta
toned In rear to fire upon those who,
impelled by fear or despair, sought
refuge from the battlefield.
Thus ragged this fierce contest wher
about p. m. +! received an order.
through one of Longstreets staff Off
GERS, to advance. A few minutes after
my division moved forward, a messen-
ger from LOngStreet summoned me,
and, at the full speed Of my horse,
joined him from quarter to a half Of a
mile In rear. He instructed he not to
allow my division to move SO far for
ward as to throw itself beyond the
prompt support of the troops he had
ordered to the front. Notwithstanding
L rode at as rapid a course as my favor
lite horse could bear me to rejoin my
two brigades, I did not overtake them
till 1 had crossed the creek, about 400
yards south of the Chinn House. and
the Texas Brigade had captured a bat
terry. routed the Federal Zouaves-lit-
c"ally streWing the ground with their
dead and wonderland Law. upon the
left, had accomplished equally impor-
tant results in his front. The field,
where lay the dead and dying Zouayes
In their gay uniforms, amid the tall
grass, presented indeed a singular ap-
pearance, as l passed down the slope
and crossed the creek. / here sent or
ders to my troops to halt and adjust
their alignment, and discovered, at the
same time, upon a ridge short distance
beyond, another battery together with
large masses of Federal infantry in the
vicinity Of the Chinn House. Soon Col.
Means, mounted and in command Of
Gen. Evans's Brigade, reported to me
for directions. I instructed him to take
the battery which was then within 60
yards OF us. His men boldly dashed
forward, and he, few moments later,
fell dead to the ground pierced by q
ball.
I moved a little to the right, and
about this juncture d. r. Jones's Divi-
sion arrived upon the scene Of action;
1t was soon followed by the remainder
of Longstreet's Corps. Gen. Jones rode
up to me, and desired to know at which
point he could most effectually strike
the enemy. l recommended that he at
once assail the heavy lines in rear of
the Chfnn House. He promptly ac-
cepted the suggestion, in concert with
several other commanders, and they
moved to the attack. as did the whole |