The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-22
THE BAT TIE of
new Market, VA.
Account OF the Famous Engage.
rnent by the Captain Who
Witnessed 1t.
TOOK NOTE OF THE CADETS
And Never Saw Veteran Soldiers
Show Greater Courage or DO
Better Fighting.
~. II. Bruce, of Joppa. Tenn. in the
Confederate vetcran.)

~. III. Bruce, of Joppa, Ienn., III tne
Confederate Vetcran)
Having seen few articles about
the battle of New Market, Va. fought
In May. 1864. written by those who
claim To have seen ii, some of which
| believe to be erroneous, l give my
version as saw 1t, believing that his
tory should be correct AS the cap.
tain}oi an infantry cornpany-A, Fifty
first Virginia. could not see all tho
flied of battle, of course, and can give
only part of it.
We were stationed about the centre
OF the line of battle OH the left of tile
i Ike and some little distance from it.
cur regiment had run in the rain
through a field freshly planted In corn
and tranped it into "loblolly' of
mud, We were on level land in whoa
field. where the growing grain was
about knee-high. The Yankees were
in Il meadow. from scventy-tve to one
hundred yards off, without protection
10 either side. Our regiment was in
or near the centre. Next to us on our
right was the Cadet Corps from the
Virginia Military Academy: on their
right was lmboden's Brigade. On our
left l recall Edsar's. Carks. and Der
Tut i cannot recall them.
Our regiment lay down and the
Yankees stood up. We were facing
down the valley TO the east. and we
stayed in that position and fired as
last as we could load for one honr
and fifteen minutes. according to man
Who was not in the battle and noted
the time
The Artillery.
In front of the left wing of our reg
iment, q little over a hundred yards
from us. was a battery of artillery
which played on us with shell, grape
canister and shrapnel. After We had
fought for "A considerable time, L saw
Irnboden's men giving way, and also
saw that the cadet boys We're con-
fused and giving way. ! had been no.
icing the cadet boys land boys they
were at that time) on the right of our
~ giment right out of school, and we
Merc old veterans. | was curious to
see how they would stand fire, and
saw them stand and fight like regu-
lars. never saw soldiers fight better
nan they did. They stood up and took
ii in military style, while we, who had
been there three years in mauy battles
and Knew the danger of Yankee lead.
Hay as fiat on the ground as we could
get.
When the cadets gave way. Lieuten-
ant Colonel Wolfe. commanding our
regiment, standing behind me, said.
Captain, what had we better do?"
answered, You are the colonel" mean
ing that he was my superior and it
was his place to command the regi-
mcnt, | did. rot think our regiment
would run. as Il had never seen it
driven off a field in three years. l
didn't see Colonel Wolfe any more in
the battle; suppose he went to the
head of the regiment My company
WAS doing fine work. 1t was made ul
OF boys out of the mountains of Wise
county, Na,-all good shots and not
eNcituble. l could see the Yankees l.
front Of us falling right and left. I
said to the boys: Draw low and fire
a their knees; don't overshoot; keep
steady; we. Will whip them ] seemed
10 feel that we would whip them.
The -Four Companies.
There were four companies of our
regiment on our right. My company
was a, and belonged at the head of the
regiment; hut when on the march we
walked SO fast that the command could
not keep mp, and General Wharton pu.
Us back in the right centre. Those
companies on our right gave way one
n.
dropped down TO try to stay under the
shot and shell from the enemy that
seemed to keep the air blue. l called
To the company next 10 mine TO stand
tirm, as | was not going to run. My
men always told ME they never would
run until / did, and | believed them
The officer tried TO hold his company
but could not. | saw something had
to be done, and saw 10 officer OF higher
rank than myself. The time had come
for no foollshness; at least half oul
command was giving way.
A few steps behind us there was ;
little lane with low fcneing-;ln OLE
worm rail fence. Behind this lane wa:
Tho confcld. tramped into a "lob!olly.'
thought that If | undertook to rul
my company through that muddy liel,
We would all get killed, so | corcludcj
to fall back in the lane and get behiu,
the fence and the right would rally OF
us, ] dropped my company back an,
tried II, but the other men failed I,
rally. Corporal John Wampler, of m,
company, a siN-footcr, got up an,
looked over the field and exclaimed
Captain, the Yankees are running oI
the left" | saw some two or tire
hundred yards off Derrcks Battalio
going toward the enemy. | gave tn
command, attention." which brough
my company TO their feet; then toll
them TO Forward! Double-uuick
Charge!" My company and the Who'll
left raised that old rebel yell; aud n
them we went. The right, when the
saw US going forward, turned and cam
back with a yell When we got hall
May 10 them. ] saw they had thei
horses TO the artillery ana Were start
ing, ] gave the command to "lNr
left oblque into that artillery" /
seems that / can still see the guns {
my company turned In a left obliqp
direction and firing. All the riders o
the artillery horses who We're not ii
Jumped of and struck the ground 0
run, Tbey turned everything loos
NJ coupauS went straight forward
the right of tho arlillcgy. lIS The IN
We gol lialfWay tp the Hankce m