The National tribune., 1907-11-21

behind which Jackson's men lay Por-
ter's troops made a half wheel with
the precision Of parade to move them
selves parallel to the bank, executing
this with great spirit, in spite of the
fearful rain of shrapnel and muslIetry
which was beginning to beat upon them.
AS no other part Of the line was at
tackled at that time Jackson moved up
Ewelrs Division to help Starke, against
whom Porter was steadily moving. Once
within easy rifle range the fires of hell
broke out, and the rough bank became
a volcano of deadly missiles, into which
Porter's men moved with unflinching
tenacity of purpose. The spirits of the
men rose with the stimulus of fighting.
and they were on the point of carrying
the works when suddenly. like lightning
from a clear Sky, s. ID. Lee, at Long
streets command. opened at 400 yards
distance an enfilading fire of shrapnel
and canister from his IL field pieces.
Tho Porters left flank was torn away.
his men forged on till they gained the
top of the embankment, and for a few
minutes there was wild work done over
that ridge of weather-seamed. yellow
clay. The bayOnet and gun barrel found
victims which bullets had spared, but
nothing could long withstand the blast
ing rain from s. D. Lees IL guns. and
the shattered corps had to fall back.
McDOwelI's Quick Perception.
Gen. Mcdowell. who had been
| charged with the pursuit" at once
recognized the meaning of this terrible
| blast upon his left. and that Lee and
Jackson had outmanuvered them al
| most, IL not quite. fatally. The whole
| battle had been planned for a
crushing attack by our right. Reno,
Heintzelman. King, Ricketts,, Porter
and Sigel were all north of the pike.
IN hinoGpI
south OF the pike to sweep down and
capture the line of retreat. Mcdowell
rose to the occasion. He saw the mis-
take. and threw all his energies into
staying the enemy's attack on the left
until the troops on the right could be
withdrawn from the fierce fighting in
which they were entangied.
Longstreet fully realized his advan-
tage, as did his subordinate command .
ers and men, and rushed forward to
complete the ruin of the Union army.
The attack was led by Hoods Division.
closely supported by Evans's. and as
they gained ground Anderson's Division
came up from the rear; also Kemper's S
three brigades and d. r. Jones's Divi-
sion from the right and one of Will
cox's brigades from the left. To meet
this rushing host of tried veterans Nc
DOwell pushed Reynolds's little division
upon Bald Hill. willing to utterly sac
rifice them II he could gain time to re-
arrange his lines. Pope was now fully
alive to the danger, and seconded and
approved what Mcdowell had done.
Warren sped toward the same point
with his small brigade. possibly not over
| 1000 men, and they gained Bald Hill
4 just as POrter's men were recoiling
from their charge and L4Ongstreet was
sweeping forward with heavy battle
lines TO complete the victory. All along
the Confederate line of the two miles
Of railroad embankment there came
from Longstreets charging columns the
wild. fierce. triumphant rebel yell Nc
Leans Ohio Brigade. four splendid reg
| iments-the 25th. 55th. 73d and 18th
Ohio. led by Col. N. c. McLean-double-
quicked to the left to Join the troops
on Bald Hill. and was the first target
for Longstreet's Corps. which poured n
constant fire upon II for 10 minutes,
For the third time In as many days the
Insignificant hamlet of Groveton was
the vortex Of battle. with this the fierc-
est contest of all. North of the pike
the sadly-thinned lines of Porter and
liking retreated sullenly toward the Sud