The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1909-06-13
A Desotate Field.

A Desotate Field.
We found the firing line in the
sunken road mentioned, which was
about Is inches or more deep, afford
ing excellent cover and good rest
while firing. For short distance to
the front there was an underground
j of hickory and oak, not yet leaved
out, so We could see and aim through
/ it, but SO dense las to conceal our line
at a few yards. We held this posi-
ton for hours, pouring a deadly fire
upon the enemy, and repulsing every
attempt to d.slOdge u.s. The under
brush became wooden stubbie, gnaw-
ed off by bullets. The roadbed, after
the battle. had a carpet of paper from
the cartridges We had bitten Off At
the front one could walk on the en-
emy'S dead for acres. This is liter
, ally true. and large portion of the
ground bore but charred remains.
from fire that had swept over it.
Before the position was taken and
many of the line captured, my am
munition being exhausted, 1 found
there was not IN sight face 1 knew.
| A feeling came over me / cannot de-
scribe, dread that if 1 were killed.
no one would know what had become
| of me. not even my brothers or par
ents, l deliberately walked away
/ A few rods to the rear I saw the
| first evidence of general supervision
| of the battle, a wagon load Of am
munition piled by the roadside-but
none of it fit my musket. Soon |
met my brother, John :, also hunting
! the regiment, which we found a little
further on, in line across the road.
1t was nearly sunset.
To show in part the desperate fight
ing the enemy had to carry the sunk
en- road and vicinity will give a
few extracts from the account writ
ten by Preston Johnson, son and aid
de-camp to the Confederate command
| ing general, who lost his life in the
| last charge:
Confederate View of 1t.
when the Confederate army reach
led Hurlburt's division and that Of w.
Fl. l.. Wallace, with a fragment of
Prentiss', a giant contest began .
Hurlburt's men were massed in a po-
sition so impregnable. and thronged
with such fierce defenders, that it
WIN Atoiii eHc AoHAcucTdtc the tltlc OF
The Hornets Nest Here, behind a
dense thicket On the crest Of a. hill
was posted strong force as hardy
troops as ever fought $50 For
five hours brigade after brigade was
led against it. Hindman's brigade.
which earlier in the day had swept
everything before it, was now re-
duced to fragments, and paralyzed
for the rest of the day A. P. Stuart's
regiment made fruitless assaults. Glib
sons brigade was ordered by Bragg
to the assault, but like the others, re-
coiled and fell back with heavy loss
Bragg ordered them again to the
charge, and again they suffered
bloody repulse. This bloody ARRAY
out making any visible impression up
on the Federal center. g
when General Johnston came up
and saw the situation he said to his
staff. They are offering stubborn re-
sistance. l shall have to put the bay
onets to them His hat was off; his
presence was inspiring as he sat on
persuasive, his words were few. He
said, Men, they are stubborn. We
must use the bayonet When he
reached the center of the line he turn
ed and said I will lead you,' and
moved toward the Federal lines. With
a mighty shout the line move forward
at charge. A sheet of fame and a
roor b,,rSt from ho E,odaroI