The National tribune., 1906-02-22

| them, to arouse their pride. to impress
! upon tnem that no regiment In that
army should ever be allowed TO go forth
upon the battlefield and return with
more trophies OF war than the 4th
Texas:-that the number OF colors and
guns captured. and prisoners taken.
| constituted the true test OF the work
ocne by any command in an engage
| ment. Moreover. their conduct in camp
| should be such as not to require pun
ishment, and, when thrown near or
within towns, should one OF their COM
rades be led to commit some breach OF
military discipline. they should, them
selves. take him in charge and not
allow his misconduct TO bring discredit
| upon the regiment: proper deportment
was obligatory upon them at home,
and, consequently. 1 should exact the
same Of them whilst in the army. By
perseverance in this system / expert
enced no difficulty In their manage
ment. One of the main obstacles to the
attainment of strict discipline, In the
! training of volunteers, is the issuance
, of orders without satisfactory explana-
ton as to their object. For example,
| the usual and important regulation.
prohibiting lights or noise I'm quarters
after 10 o'clock at night, would be re-
garded by young recruits as unneces-
sary. and even arbitrary, unless the off,
Ger in command illustrated 10 them the
defsfand that an army in time of active
operations must have sleep at night In
order to march and fight the following
day; and that for this reason no soldier
should be allowed to keep awake. saw.
six of his comrades in the same tent,
nor be permitted to create disturb
aIice. which would deprive his neigh
bors of rest, and render them unfit for
duty the ensuing morning
On the 7th of March. 1862, i followed
up the movement with my regiment
back in the direction of Frederlcks-
burg; en- route, and, greatly TO my sur
prise, / received information OF my an
pointment as Brigadier-GeneraI, and OF
my assignment to the command Of the
Texas Brigade. Gen. Wigfall if / re-
member correctly. had been elected to
the Senate, and regarded his services
more important i'm that Chamber than
upon the field. This promotion occa-
stoned me some annoyance. as Col.
Archer, who commanded the 5th Texas
and TO whom / was warmly attached
ranked me by seniority. He, however,
came to my tent, spontaneously con-
graduated me upon my advancement,
and expressed his entire willingness to
serve under me. He gave proof of the
sincerity of his professions by a subse-
quent application to be transferred to
my division, after I was appointed
Major-Generai, and he was promoted To
the rank Of Brigadier. Moreover some
years later, when / assumed the direc-
ton of the Army of Tennessee, he ap-
piled for orders to report to me. for
duty. He was not only a fine soldier,
but a man of sterling qualities. and
whose nobility OF character was unsur-
passed.
had been stationed few weeks I'm
the vicinity of Fredericksburg, when
orders were received to march to York
town, at which place we arrived few
days prior to the nth Of April, the date
of Gem JohRston's assumption OF the
command of all the forces on the PEN
fnsula. I was here placed in reserve
with my brigade. which consisted OF
the 1st, 4th, 5th Tex, and 18th Ga. reg
iments. and continued the system OF
instruction and training already indi-
Gated. I had SO effectually aroused the
pride of this splendid body of men as
to entertain little fear in regard to
their action on the field Of battle.
The Fight at West Point.
The Sd of May ION information that
the Federal batteries would be ready
for service in a day or two" the Com
manding General ordered the army to
retreat. Accordingly, / marched with
my brigade. which formed part of Maj
Gen. G. w. Smiths Division, upon the
Yorktown road, I'm the direction of Will
liamsburg. At daybreak of the 5th the
re treat was continued from Williams
burg toward Richmond, through deep
mud and in a heavy rain. Whilst I'm
biyouac opposite West Point Gen. Whit
ing informed me that large body OF
the enemy had disembarked at Elt-
hams Landing; that our cavalry was
OH picket upon the high ground over
looking the valley Of York River and
instructed me to move my brigade I'm
81 1rsxy he
back if he attempted to advance from
under cover of his gunboats. Pursuant
to imperative orders, the men had not
been allowed to march with loaded
arms during the retreat. On the 7th. at
the head of my command, proceeded in
the direction of Eltham's, with the inten-
ton to halt and load the muskets upon
our arrival at the cavalry outpost. I
soon reached the rear of a small cabin
upon the crest of the hill. where / found
enc of our cavalrymen half-asleep. The
head of the column. marching by the
right flank, with the 4th Tex I'm the
front, was not more than 20 or 80 PAGES
in my rear, when. simultaneously with
my arrival at the station of this cavalry
picket, q skirmish line, supported by a
large body of the enemy, met me face
to face. The slope from the cabin to-
ward the York River was abrupt. and,
I did not discover the
enough to shake hands. / leaped from
my horse, ran to the head of my col
umn, then about Is PAGES I'm rear, gave
the command, forward into line. and
ordered the men to load. The Federals
opened fire, but halted as
they perceived our long line in rear.
a Corporal of the enemy
drew down his musket upon me as l
stood in front of my line. John Deal,
a private in Co. A, 4th Tex, and who
Eow resides i'm Gonzales, Tex, had for
in this instance, but contrary
to orders charged his rife before leav-
ing camp; he instantly killed the Cor
poral, who fell within few feet of me.
At the time I ordered the leading regi-
ment to change front forward on the
first company l also sent directions to
the troops in rear to follow up the
movement and load their arms, which
was promptly executed The brigade
then gallantly advanced, and drove the
Federals, within the space Of about two
hours, a distance Of one mile and half
to the cover of their gunboats. When
we struck their main line quite a spir-
tied engagement took place, which,
however, proved to be only a temporary
stand before attaining the immediate
shelter of their vessels of war Hamp-