The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-03-29

"a clear idea Of tho details OF that men,
orable tight. on the. 10Th of May. six
| Division supported by some other
troops that do not recall. struck the
Fec, forces between Failing Creek
heavy fight ensued. In which we lost
heavily, but succeeded in driving But
Ter back to his line of works. AZ to
the disposition of the troops from that
time to the 10th of May do not recall
on that day. an attack was planned
below Drewry's Bluff. The morning OF
the 10th was ushered in with a dense
fog. The line of battle was composed
OF two briGades of Pickets Division in
front. supported by the Third Brigade
in rear. our orders were to advance
/ quietly. so as not to attract the encmy's
attention, and not to fire gun until
we reached the enemy's works. They
opened on us with a heavy fire when
pressed on over dead and wounded
| comrades until we reached the edge of
I the woods.
J Just at this time an order came down
| the line to halt. as we on the left un-
derstood IL, but which proved to be
] an order to fall back and reform, as
! front had pressed to the centre until
the line had ovcrlappcd. producing
great confusion. After remaining hero
! for very short time. under "A most
ncrciless fire. to which Gettysburg
would not compare, some three or
| four companies OF the Fourteenth Vir-
gllia and one or two companies of the
/ Ninth Virginia mistaking another or
| der TO fall back. rushed with Il genuine
rebel yell into<the woods in front, and
within twenty or thirty yards encoun-
| tered the cnemys works They imme-
/ diately threw down their arms and
| helped us over the breastworka Seem.
| now few there were of us lnut over
| 125 or 1901 they became mutinous and
threatened 20 take. up arms. but we
| rushed them over the works the brig
! adler, whose name | cannot recall. and
! his entire brigade. THIS doubtless is
| the first Instance in all recorded war
fare where whole brigade, behind
| earthworks, were captured without the
| uring of II gun by the attacking party.
These troops We're unaccompanied by
| single rcgimental brigade or division
! commander. no officer ranking higher
/ than first lieutenant. as ! now remcm-
Der was with the attacking party.
say this not in criticism OF these OIL
GERS. for they, understanding tho order
TO fall back, had obeyed It. But be
! forcJthe division had reformed to make
the second charge this small attacking
/ force had delivered to them this Fed
er2i brigade as prisoners OF war. While
| lost heavily in killed and wounded.
1t was here that my lamcnted friend
and kinsinan, Captain John p. Farrar.
WAS killed: and the writer was wounded
to Drewry,s Dlur. at which place. as
sisted by Rev. w. Il. Edwards. chaplain
! ] do not understand the published
| report OF assigning myself as acting
/ UuJntdnt, a3 was III command of
! my company after Captain Farrar was
| Killed. and so far as I ever knew was
! the senior officer of tho attacking force.
| 1t may have been that Colonel White
/ assigned me IA acting adjutant when
( this report was made the next day.
Some of us have felt Il little sore that
/ so little prominence was given to this
/ brilliant and successful sortlc. For
! the sake of history. / have written this
/ account after fifty years. Should this
| fall under the eye OF any comradc en-
| gagged In that fight | would hc glad to
| have their recollections OF 1t. whether
! it agrees with my own or not. Moth
! ing would be more gratifying TO me
! than to have reunion of the survivors
| of that remarkable fight on the iifticth
anniversary. May 16. 1914.
| While only the Ninth and Fourteenth
| Virginia Regiments arc mentioned In
| the published account. my impression
! has always been that small part of
both the Thrty-cighth and l'ifty-third
| Virginia Regiments Were OF the at
| lacking party
Should YOU III to have this pub
lished in connection with the report OF
| Colonel White and myself YOU arc at
liberty to do so. will thank you for
copy of the report returned to you by
Mrs. Mary j. Hill, OF Watcrvillc, Me.
Very truly yours.
S. Z. READ.
Captain Company r. Fourteenth Rcgi-
mcnt. Virginia Infantry.
Planners Springs, Va.