Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-07-05

the opposing forces were practically
equal. In the second assault Grant
lost 4,075 men. After the failure OF
the assaults Grant comnletely invest
ed the city, constructing twelve miles
of trenches and eighty-nine batteries
and settled down to real siege.
In many places the opposing lines
were only a few yards distant from
each other.
The final battle was continual bonn
bardment and lasted without inter-
mission for twelve days. The Confed-
crate commander was cut Off from re-
lief and his troops were starving, but
he did not surrender until he saw
signs of mutiny among them.
The capture Of Vicksburg and the
defeat Of Lee at Gettysburg marked
the turning point of the war.
Gettysburg.
The greatest battle in American his
tory was fought on the 1st, I'd, and
Sd Of July, 1868, at Gettysburg, Pa,
between the Army Of the Potomac,
numbering about $4,000, under Gen.
Meade, and the Confederate army Of
Northern Virginia, numbering about
10000, under Gen. Lee. Gen. Lee
had determined upon an invasion OF
the north. Both the Federal and the
Confederate general had planned upon
a defensive battle, but chance meet
ing of Buford cavalry division Of
Meade's army coming accidentally into
contact with Heth's division Of Hilps
corps, the battle was precipitated at
a spot Just west of Gettysburg, in
Willoughby Run, where neither gen.
eral had planned upon fighting. On
the first day the fighting turned in
favor Of the Confederates, the latter.
under Ewell. driving back the Feder-
al forces with great loss Of life. On the
second day Meade and Lee brought
up their entire armies. The Federal
line of battle was roughly that Of a
fish hook; that Of the Confederates
was in q long convex line. At p. m.
on the I'd of July the Confederate
general, Longstreet, vigorously attack
ed the Federal left, driving in Sickles
and inflicting such a heavy loss that
for time 1t looked as II Round Top
field. The Federal line held during the
terrific assault, but about sunset Ewell
attacked even more fiercely the Fed
eral right, and after desperate fighting
just after dark succeeded in penetrat-
ing and holding q position inside the
Federal lines. This position, however,
was lost the next morning.
On the morning Of July the 3 Lee
determined upon breaking the centre
of the Federal line In a final test OF
respective strengths. Longstreet, who
had done such good work the day be-
fore, was placed in immediate COM
mand. Shortly before l o'clock the
Confederates commenced terrific
cannonading, which was quickly an
swered by the Federal guns until 200
cannon were roaring away. After
about half an hour the Federal guns
ceased firing. Gen. Hunt wishing to
save his ammunition and allow his
Confederate attack took place at a
closer range. Pickett, Pettigrew and
Wilcox, believing that the Federal
guns had been silenced, Immediately
ordered an attack Of their divisions
and were met with terrific fire from
the Federal batteries. Pickett reached
and captured the first Federal line
after most sanguinary hand to hand
combat, but was later driven across
the valley. Both Pickett and Petit
grew in their charge lost fully two
thirds of their men. Pickett's charge
in the face Of withering artillery and
small arm fire was the most desperate
ever made in modern warfare. Lee.
realizing that with Pickett's failure he
was defeated, began his retreat on the
5th. All idea of invading the north
was given up from that moment by
the Confederacy.
Petersburg.
zone Of the most anxious periods Of
my experience during the rebellion,
wrote Gen. Grant, twas the last few
weeks before Petersburg. I felt that
the situation Of the Confederate army
was such that they would try to make
an escape at the earliest practicable
moment, and was afraid every morn
ing that would awake from my sleep
to hear that Lee had gone and that
nothing was left but a picket line.
was naturally very impatient for the
time to come when could commence
the spring campaign, which l thor
oughly believed would close the war;"
Sherman. at this critical period was
anxious that Grant should wait until
he could come up and make certain
thing of the campaign. but Grant de-
termined not to wait until the roads
had dried from the spring rains. On
March 19, 1865. however, Sheridan ar
rived at the White House, and Grant
determined to push his campaign
against Lee. It was subsequently learn
ed tnat Lee had been waiting for dry
roads before retreating from In and
about Richmond and Petersburg.
Grant, with base on the James riv-
er, threw up formidable intrenchments
and shifted large bodies Of troops to
Lees left without the latters knowl-
edge. On March 20 Sheridan was In
structed to make a detour and gain
the enemy's right and rear.
nj
to cut him off from possible junction
with Johnston's army and the routes
south Of the Appomatox river and
made an effort to cover those roads
without losing his hold on the works
about Petersburg. On the 31st Of
March Sheridan with his cavalry
reached Five Forks on the White OAK
road. Here he was confronted by
Pickett, the hero of the famous Con-
federate charge at Gettysburg.
On the first dey Of the battle OF Five
Forks Sheridan was driven south as
far as Dinwiddie Court House. but on
the 1st of April and before Pickett was
even aware that a battle was in prog
ress Sheridan destroyed the latters
left. Then Sheridan attacked In turn
Pickett's right and smashed 1t In.
Pickett's defeat really ended the war
TlSnt lnen anu there. IEdhl uCiiSCiSo
a general assault the next day and
broke through Lees lines and destroy
ed the Confederate right from Five
Forks to a point some two or three
miles west Of the Weldon station. On
the 7th of April Sheridan's cavalry
caught the commands of Anderson.
Ewell and Gordon and entangled
them in a tactical development, so
that they were obliged to surrender
or be massacred. They surrendered,
and forty-eight hours later Lee gave
up the fight, the campaign, and with
both the war.
Manila Bay.
When war was declared with Spain
on April 25, 1898, naval experts de-
plored the lack Of coast defences both
upon our eastern and western sea-
boards. Especially on the Pacific
coast were we open to attack. The
Spanish squadron then off Cavite In
Manila bay, 1t was conjectured might
make a dash to San Francisco or any
of the seacoast towns and do millions
of dollars worth Of damage In a few
hours time. Since the latter part OF
March Commodore Dewey had lain in
the harbor Of Hongkong waiting for
orders. On April 26, the day following
the declaration of war, Dewey receiv-
ed the following dispatch from Wash
ington:
Commence operations at once, par