Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1910-06-16

SCEIILN.

buses 10 TINS column. All articles Will
be published In the order in which
they are received.
Roanoke, Va, May 9th 1910.
To-day is the forty. SIKH ami
versary OF an event which the
writer can never forget, and in
this letter will try to tell you the
reason why.
Early in the preceding winter
Gen. Grant, flushed with victory
in the southwest and having the
confidence Of the authorities at
Washington. was transferred to
the command Of the Army OF the
I Potomac. He Immediately pro-
ceeded 10 re-organ:ze and re-in-
force his army, an army which
Scott, Mcclellan. Mead, Burn
side. Pope and Others had lead to
defeat He undertook TO accom-
plish what they had failed to DO,
relying not upon skill nor gen.
eralship, but on overwhelming
numbers and resources. With
this army he crossed the Kappa
hammock the 9Th Of May, 1854,
and dashed into the wilderness to
ind Gen. Lee on guard.
The company to which | be-
longed was picketing on the
Rapiian river near Orange Court
House. Our camp was buck
probably mile from the river.
About 9 or 7 O'Clock in the MORN
ing the guard was called to re-
port to camp at once. | remember
that We had by some means ss-
cured rooster Of doubtful, age
and when we got to camp our
cook and forager was told to put
on camp kettle and cook the said
rooster double-quick and over
take US as soon as possible. The
command was moving then with
hurry orders in the direction OF
Fredericksburg. Not having had
any breakfast it was with empty
stomachs that we started out that
fine Spring morning, and the
reader will now understand why
we would like the cook to over.
take US.
We had not gone far before we
found that the whole army was
moving and the prospects for a
meeting with the enemy was good
We heard firing in front like a
brisk skirmish, the column moves
briskly and the officers are keep.
ing the ranks closed up. We are
on the old plank road and going
towards fredericksburg. We
pass Gen. Lee and Gen. Stuart
of the calvary; they are sitting
near the road side by tree OK.
amining "A map; each OF the gen :
erals had his arm through the
reins Of his bride holding his
horse. AS We pass large squad
Of calvary come in sight on our
left and disappear in a moment.
Some say they are the enemy,
but | rather think Gen. Stuart
had out a scouting party for his
own and Gen. Lees protection.
We pass few houses or fields, but
only a wild unimproved wood
land, | suppose the land must be
poor to account for being unset
tied. The firing gets heavier in
our front and cur interes. be-
comes so intense that we have
despaired of the cook catching
up with US before we will be right
into the fight, for, dear reader,
we are face to face with General
Grant in what is known in history
as the Battle of the Wilderness.
Our column is halted and we
are ordered to load, the line of
battle is formed and we form on
the left OF the troops already en-.
gagged, the officers give the com.
mand son the right by file into
line, and commence firing as you
fall into line" This movement
was executed beautifully and we
were engaged probably an hour
when the enemy flanked us on
the left. We were quietly with
drawn to take a new position to
meet this danger. Just at this
time my br 1ther was wounded
and Capt. N told me to take
him back to the ambulance. As
we got back near the plank road
there sat Gen. Lee on his horse
whilst his staff seemed to be raj.
lying and reforming Georgia
brigade, which | learned after.
ward was Wiicox's command
AS my brother and myself came
near to Gen. Leo he said. ad
dressing me, "My good man. We
need every man we can get a,
the front, just now, and il you
will leave your 'comrade with us
we will take caro- of him and YOU
can return to your command
| replied, General, | can GER.
tainly leave him with you," bade
my brother goodbye and found
my company where we left them.
My brother told me afterward
that Gen. Lee sent one of his
stall back to the field hospital
with him.
Gen. Grant seemed to be
throwing the whole Federal army
against US that first day in the
wilderness, and we wore being
pressed back by the overwhelm
ing numbers of the enemy; Gen.
Longstreet's corps had not come
up and was badly needed.
OCCASIONAL.
(To be Continued.)