The National tribune., 1908-04-23

Station. on the Richmond Fredericks-
burg & Potomac Railroad. His wife
and Intimate friends We're summoned
to his side. Pneumonia set in. and he
sank day by day until death came to
him on Sunday afternoon, May 10. The
spot where he was wounded is marked
by large quartz rock. placed there by
Chaplain B. 7. Lacy and Mai. Lacy, of
his staff. With Jackson passed away a
large measure of the hope of the Con-
federacy, and Gen. Lee never attempted
again the audacious moves that char
acterized his strategy and tactics when
he had Jackson for his chief executant
1t has been claimed for the 1st Mass.
and another regiment that they fired
the shots which mortally wounded
Jackson. 1t is altogether likely that
they fired those of which Capt. Smith
speaks. which killed some of Jackson's
staff and turned him back upon the
North Carolina regiment On such a
night as that, with the lines so close
together and nerves at concert pitch,
it is absolutely impossible to give any
thing more definite as to the result of
any fire than the memories of the staff
officer who was present with Jackson
at the time Gen. J. f. 3. Stuart was
notified of Jackson's fall directed to
assume command and carry out the
latter's plans, which Stuart endeavored
to do and with some success.
Gen. SickIes's Fight.
In the meantime Gen. Sickles occu-
pied position of the greatest danger
or the greatest opportunity, according
to the abilities of the General While
Jacksen's force was on his flank, he was
still more on Jackson's flank. 1t is easy
to critfcise now, and say what Hooker
and Sickles might have done by taking
advantage of the disordered condition
of Jackson's force, crushing him even
more effectually than he had a part of
the Eleventh Corps Probably a man
like Hancock or Sheridan would have
seen this opportunity and embraced it,
but Hancock and Sheridan were SOL
diers of rare qualities, with a resolu-
tion and dash not possessed by any of
the other corps commanders of the
army. Sickles had more of these char
acteristics than any of the other corps
commanders of that time, but SickIes
was then tied to the dead weight which
Hooker had become. What little ag-
gressiveness had been left in Hooker
was pretty thoroly exhausted by the
spectacle of his shattered right flank.
1t could not help having a painful ef-
feet upon a commanding officer 10 see
any troops going to pieces. because such
a sight shakes his confidence in the
others. Sickles, who appears upon the
face of the reports to have had most
of the aggressiveness of the corps COM
manders present, sought orders from
Hooker to advance and members of
his staff ran unusual dangers in max
ing their way back to Charlottesville
to secure this communication with the
General. Lieut.-Col Hart,
Sickies's Assistant Adjutant- General
had successfully run the gantlet, and
about IL O'Clock reached Sickles with
permission from Hooker to make
night attack, supported by WiIliams's
Division of the Twelfth Corps. By mid
night Sickles had completed his DISPOSE
tons for battle, and ordered Gen. Bir-
ney 40 advance. Gen. Sickles reports,
with regard to his success in this move
ment, thus:
1T is difficult to do justice to the
brilliant execution of this movement by
Birney and his splendid command
Wards Brigade formed the first line;
Hayman's second. about 100 yards in
the rear pieces all uncapped, and strict
orders not to fire a musket until the
Plank road and earthworks were reach
ed, the movement to be by the right
Of companies On the left a wide road
led thru the woods perpendicular to-
Y. 18th Me- and 63d Pa. were pushed
forward by column of companies at full
distance.
The night was very clear and still;
the moon, nearly full, threw enough
light in the woods to facilitate the ad-
vance, and against a terrific fire of mus
kerry and artillery, some 20 pieces of
which the enemy had massed in the
opening (DowdalPs), where Gen How
hao rfa ,, cc.fah Itch
he advance was successfully executed,
The line of the Plank road gained, and
)ur breastworks reoccupied.
81 commend to the particular notice
Df the General-in-Chief the high praise
bestowed by Gen. Birney upon Col
Thomas w. Eagan, 40th N Y. for the
energy and dash which he threw into
his attack. All our guns and caissons
and a portion of Whipple,s mule train
we're recovered, besides two pieces of
he enemys artillery and three caissons
,aptured.
Thrown into hopeless confusion upon
his right flank, the enemy advanced
upon the front of the Second Division
(Berry'sl in connected lines on the right
md left of the road, but was repulsed
n less than 80 minutes by the combined
md effective fire of infantry and Dim
ck's and Osborn's Batteries, excellently |
posted on and near the road.
Gen. Sickles's description does faint
Justice to the wonderful spectacle of
his midnight battle, which had few if
my equals in awful grandeur in the his
ory of the Army of the Potomac. For
,ver an hour the forest seemed to ac-
ually rock under the tremendous crash |
,f musketry and artillery, while the sui |
Ihurous fires lighted up the dark re-
esses with the baleful glare of Satan's |
lomain. Then this awfulness seemed |
o burn itself out almost as suddenly |
Is it had arisen, and there came a |
remulous, nervous quiet, like that
which had early in the evening followed |
ackson's halt and reorganization of his
ines. After a little interval it broke
ut afresh with all it's terrific din as
art of the Confederate line attempted
o regain the ground it had lost. 1t was
splendid beginning for Sickles; but,
las. it was only beginning, for before
aylight The received orders to with
raw, surrendering what he had gained,
nd march to Fairview.
(To be continued.)
The 10th Ill.
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