Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-02

and left tearing through their ranks. the
Federals pressed forward with almost
invincible determination. maintaining
their steady step and closing mp their
broken ranks. Thus resoIutely they
marched upon the stone fence. behind
which quietly waited the Confederate
brigade Of Gen. Cobb. As they came
within reach of this brigade storm OF
lead was poured into their advancing
ranks. and they were swept from the
field like char before the wind.
cloud of smoke shut out the scene
for a moment, and, rising, revealed the
gallant but hopeless charge. The arti-
lery still plowed through their retreating
ranks and searched the PAGES OF con-
cealments into which the troops had
plunged. A vast number went pell-mell
into old railroad cut to escape fire
from right and front A battery on
Lees hill saw this and turned it's fire
into the entire length Of the cut. and the
shells began to poar down upon the Fed
erals with the most frightful destruction.
They found their position of refuge more
uncomfortable than the field of the as
sault.
Hardly was this attack off the field be-
fore we saw the determined Federals
preparing for another charge. The Con-
federates under Cobb reserved their fire
and quietly awaited the approach OF the
enemy. The Federals came nearer than
the well-directed guns of Cobb's brigade
and the fire of the artillery on the
heights. By that time the field in front
of Cobb was thickly strewn with the dead
and dying Federals but again they
formed with desperate courage and re-
newed the attack and again were driven
Off. At each attack the slaughter was so
great that at the time the third attack
was repulsed the ground was SO thickiy
strewn with dead that the bodies serious
ly impeded the approach of the Federals.
Gen. Lee who was with me on Lee s
hill. became uneasy when he saw the
attacks so promptly renewed and pushed
forward with such persistence. and fear
ed the Federals might break through our
line. After the third charge he said to
me:
General they are massing very heav-
lily and will break your line, L am afraid"
General | replied, IF you put every
man now on the other side of the Poto-
mac on that field TO approach me over
the same line. and give me plenty of
ammunition, I will kill them all before
they reach my line Look to your right:
you are In some danger there, but not on
my line
| think the fourth time the Federals
charged gallant fellow came within 100
feet OF Cobb's position before he fell.
Close behind him came some few scatter
ing ones but they were either killed or
they fled from certain death. This charge
was the only effort that looked like ac-
tual danger to Cobb, and after ii was re-
pulsed l felt no apprehension, assuring
myself that there were enough of the
dead Federals on the field to give me half
the battle The anxiety shown by Gen.
Lee. however. induced me to bring up two
or three brigades, to be on hand. and Gen.
kershaw. with the remainder OF his bri-
gade, was ordered down to the stone
wall, rather. however to carry ammuni-
ton than as a reinforcement for Cobb.
kershaw dashed down the declivity and
arrived just in time to succeed Cobb. who.
at this juncture, fell from wound in
the thigh and died in few minutes from
loss of blood
A fifth time the Federals formed and