The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-15
Gallant CAREER OF
COL. AUSTIN SMITH
Address by Major Robert Hunter
in Presenting His Portrait to
r. E. Lee Camp, c. ".

Col, Thomas Smith. of Warrenton. to
present TO Lee Campo portrait of their
brother, Lieutenant Colonel Austin II.
Smith. q. son OF Governor William and
Elizabeth H. Smith who gave his life In
defense OF his native state. In the bat
tie of Gaines's Mill. June 81. 1862. when
McClellan's Formidable army was men
acIng this capitol city of our State and
the Copfederacy
Artisticallv conceived and executed
by a Richmond artist, himself soldier.
1t IL cminently worthy Of a place upon
your historic walls. among the portraits
of the heroes of the South, whose
names have gone into history and re-
Elected imperishable lustre upon Con-
fedsrate arms and our righteous Con-
fesierate cause.
Colonel Smiths record as a soldier is
brief but brilliant. He fell. MORALLY
wounded, in the forefront of his first
battles battle which General Whit
ing. upon whose staff Colonel Smith
was serving. describes las very severe.
holly contested and gallantly Won.
There has been some post pellum dis
pute as to whose command made the
first breach in tho Federal lines at
Gaines's Mil. Longstreets men made
a magnificent charge on the right and
ID. Fl. Hill claimed to have turned the
in even scale the battle hung" and
Jackson had become impatient. lie sent
his last orders 10 his division command.
ers Tell them" he said. this affair
must hang in suspense no longer, let
them sweep the field with the bayonet.
Lee almost at the same moment as
Jackson. had given the word for a gen
eral advance. AS the supports came
thronEing up the shout was carried
down the line. the Valley men are here.
and with the cry of Stonewall Jack.
son for their slogan. the Southern army
dashed across tho deep ravinc. And"
SAYS Colonel Henderson. las the sun.
low on the horizon doomed blood red
through tho murky atmosphere. the
Confederate coIors waved along the
line of the Abandoned brestworks. But
as Colonel Henderson. whose account
OF this battle is tho fa!rest and full
est have read. further says; at Is
abundantIy evident that the advent of
Jackson's fresh troops and the vigoI-
of their assault. broke down the resist
ancc Of the Federas. Against tile
very centre of the Federal line the at
tack was pushed home by Writings
men with extraordinary resolution. His
two brigades under Hood and Law were
the first to sweep over the intrench-
mente. outflank the Federal brigades.
wl,It still held out to right and left.
and compel them 10 retreat
Jnckson's Tribute.
General Jackson. himself. has left a
vivid description OF this great fight,
which accords to Writings command
thu credit of having struck the decisive
blow.
ION my extreme right" he says in
his report General Whiting advanced
a
and swamp emerging from the wood
into the field near the public road. and
at the head of the deep ravine which,
covered the enemy's left Advancing
thence through a. number of retreatinS
and disordered regiments, he came
within. range OF the enemy's FIRE. who
concealed in an open wood. and pro-
tected by breastworks, poured de-
structlve fire for a quarter of a mile
into his advancing line, under which
many brave officers and men fell
pashins on with unfalter!ns step In
the face Of these murderous discharges
of canister and musketry, General HOOD
and Colonel Law. as the heads of theil
respective brisndes, rushed to the
charge with yell. Moving down
precipitous ravine leaping ditch ans
stream. clamberins UP a difficult as.
cent, and exposed to an incessant ant
I
those brave and determined mer
pressed forward. driving the enemy
from his we'll selected and fortified po
siticn. In this charge, in which up
wards Of 1000 men fell. killed ant
wounded. before the FIRE of the enemy
and in which fourteen pieces OF artil
lery and nearly whole regiment We're
captured the Fourth Texas, under TIN
lead of General Hood. was the first II
pierce these strongholds and seize thu
guns"
IL was in this celebrated charge, o
which Stonewan Jackson thus enthu
siastically speaks. that the member
q. Writings staff rode in the from
cheering on the gallant men.
: "of my staff" says General Within;
in his report, II cannot speak to-
highly The chief, Major j. II. Hi
fell. painfully wounded. while leadin,
z the charge. The chivalrous Colone
(Maior) Austin y. smith, alde-tle -camr
received a mortal wound In the sam
onset"
1t was OF a Spartan soldier of TIL
stamp of Austin Smith that the Sparta
General Tyrtaeus, who was also a poe,
wrote:
How glorious fell the valiant, swor
In hand,
In front OF battle, for their nativ
land.
"nisdalnins fear, and dcen,inE light tn
cost
OF life itself IN glorious battle lost
"More sacred than in life. and lovelie
far,
For having persisted in the front 9
war
General Whiting used the word "chiv
alrous" advtsedly In his tribute to Aus
tin Smiths splendid bearing in Thu
hattie, for he was indeed
''From plume to spur a cavalier,
Whose soul meier parleyed with fea
Nor check bore tings OF shame"
John IS. Farley's Tribute.
Another touching tribute is frol
John S. Farley of Charleston. s. {
who was a private In the Hampto
Legion Cavalry, and a courier viii
General whiting when Colonel SHllt
WAS killed, "a more courteous {