The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-09-02

key Ridge. June B. 1884" Men stooo face to face at the crater. often a bayonet thrust was given before the Minnie ball went crashing through the body. Every man took care of him. self. intent on selling his life as dearly as possible. The negroes did not all stampede. They mingled with the white troops. The troops of Malone Wilcox and Wright. were greeted with defiant yells. while their ranks were moved down by whitening fires. Many oiieeSs commanding negro troops held their commissions for bravery. Enc couraged. threatened, emulating the white troops, the black men fought with desperation. Some Confederate sol. diers recognized their slaves at thg crater. Captain J.. of the Forty-first Virginia, gave the military salute 10 Ben" and Bob" whom he had left hoeins corn down in Dinwiddie. If Whites Division had occupied Reser- voir Hill, Richmond would have been evacuated.
 General Malone had no staff officers. He asserted that they only consumed rations and filled the wagons with baggage Private R. c. Sibley, clerk at headquarters. was chief, and Cour- fer Nelson carried the rice and canteen. Lieutenant Girardy, volunteer aide to General R. Wright. offered his ser vices to Malone at the crater. which were accepted Girardy was one of the bravest men in Lees army. General Lee watched this daring man. lnsen- sihle of fear, regardless of his life, he was always found where danger was greatest. Three days after the battie Lee sent Girardy a commission as Brigadier General. and assigned him to command Wright's Brigade TWO weeks later, on the 18th of August, ha killed. II never heard of a similar promotion in Lees army that of a lieutenant to a brigadier- general
 The following order was read to the division after the battle We have never seen 1t published and as 1t was the only one Malone ever issued we think it worthy of preservation.
 Headquarters. Anderson's Division
 August 6, 1864.
 General Order No--.)
 1. The glorious conduct of the three brigades of the division, Wilcox's, Ma hone's and Wright's, and especially tht first two, employed om the 30th of July in the expulsion of the enemy from his possession of part of our line else- where than upon our own immediate froUt. and the magnificent results achieved in the execution of the work, dsvolves upon the undersigned the ever pleasing office of rendering his thanks
 
 ed Beauregard has praised you. Your corps and army commanders have ex- pressed their gratitude for your in- valuable services on this occasion and their admiration of the splendid man. ner in which your duty was approach ed and performed The enemy had sprung his first mine in the new plan by which he now seeks to penetrate our lines; he had gained possession of the crater and of the contiguous works; he had previously massed three corps and two divisions of another to prose- cute his anticipated successes, and he had now given the order for the ad- vance of his crowded lines, but, furtu- nately for the hour" you had made the ground. With the tread of veter- ans and the determination of men, you charged the works upon which he had planted the hated flag. The integrity of the whole line was by your valor promptly re-established. the enemy's grand effort to penetrate our rear sig unparalleled in the history of the war, when compared to your strength and the losses you sustained.
 With less than force of three thou sand men and with a casualty of four hundred and ninety-eIght, you killed seven hundred of his people, and by his own account wounded over three thou sand You captured one thousand one hundred and one prisoners, embracing eighty-seven officers, seventeen stands of co1ors, two guidoms and one thou sand nine hundred and sixteen stands of small arms. These are the results of the noble work which you perform ed and which entities your banner scroll of honorable deeds to the in. scription:
 The Carter.
 Petersburg, S0th July. 1864.
 IT. While thus we have so such cause for congratulation and pleas ure, let us not and never forget the memory of the noble spirits who fell in the glorious work whose consummatfon we were spared to establish and conn memorate.
 William Malone,
 Brigadier- General.
 Havana, Hale County, Ala. 1882.