The National tribune., 1910-04-14

A low word of command, and the great
divisions turned into the narrow
branch encountered roads and plodded
stolidly forward. Stumps and vines
caught the feet and tripped the men,
and the clay was speedily beaten into a
gluelike mass, ankle deep, thru which
the following regiments had to wade.
| All this time the rain poured down pit
| ilessly, searchingly, remOrselessly, bind
| ing mems eyes even to the sight of
their file-leaders. They followed one
another in close ranks, stepping by faith
rather than sight.
A thousand mshaps and miseries
! filed every mile. Men tripped and fell
| headlong, throwing their comrades
down in front of them, then picKeo
themselves up with curses. not loud but
deep. on everything south of the Poto-
mac Batteries would stall in particu-
larly deep quagmires, and after the can
noneers had worn themselves out in
trying to eXtricate them the infantry
would be called upon to grope around
in the darkness and lift the guns. All
this had to be done silently, so that no
sound could float over to the nearby
enemy to betray the movement.
1t was marvellous how quickly it was
accomplished. Directions for forming
the regiments brigades and divisions in
place had to be given in carefully low
tones Staff officers inquired for COM
manders and communicated instruc-
tions in a subdued voice. AS far as the
pelting rain would permit the feeling.
everything was weird, mysterious and
deeply impressive. Possibly little of this,
however, found room in the tired,
scourged brains of the men. The ordi-
nary fears and apprehensions of men
going into battle had long ago ceased.
They only felt, in dull, desperate way.
that another supreme manslaughtering
effort was demanded of them, and they
resigned themselves with the stoicism
of veterans to whatever might come. So
perfectly had the thing been planned
out that after midnight the formation
was completed in the deep shadow of
the woods, some 1900 yards from the
works which were to be attacked. The
men were then allowed to break ranks.
and get what rest they could on the
cold ground under the rain until it
should be light enough to move. Staff
officers groped their way back thru the
woods to report to Gems. Grant and
Meade, who were sitting over small fires
little distance in the rear Both were
so intent upon the success of the move
ment that they had moved headquar-
ters up as near as possible to the firing
line to give personal directions and in
spiration. They wanted no more of the
mishaps of the 10th. when the move
iiItbl Hdu tOHlt 81 near SUCCESS. IL was
expected that daylight would come at
4:S5. and would be instantly taken ad-
vantage Of.
Formation of the Line.
The First Division of the Second
Corps, led by the intrepid Francis C
Barlow. only partially recovered from
his supposed mortal wounds received at
Gettysburg, was formed opposite the
open ground, about 400 yards wide
connecting the Brown and Landron
Houses. The division was massed in
two lines, with Brooke's and Miles's
Brigades in the front line and Browns
and Smyth's in the Second, each form
ing a double column on the center
Birney's Division formed in two deploy-
ing lines on Barlow's right, with a
marsh and dense wood of low pines in
front. Motifs Division formed in rear
of Birney, with Gibbon in reserve. All
the ground in front sloped upward to
the Confederate intrenchments. Toward
morning the rain ceased, but a thick
fog rising from the low earth, heated by
long, dry weather, obscured the view
more than the darkness.
(To be cOntinued)