The Farmer and Mechanic from Raleigh, North Carolina • Page 10

Tffp gATMEn AND MECHANIC 10 mander and Ford, I thickness of theog Md I the hreakinir over a i A xr nrtnn'fl nit to remain ana su nf No more accomplish chivalrous gentleman ue-oiaae in a sacred uiismng ana artilrv the lines. May 15. A A CONFEDERATE MAJOR'S DIARY The Experiences of a Staff Officer In Cox's Brigade of the Army of Northern Virginia Ing the Sabbath.iivi: commenced in the were interrupted by aY forward for the purpo. reconnoissance. The d-' made over a rood 4 tie-field nf th i i.iii..

ana wxiicxt presented itself appal the most 4 shock the stoutest ner 1 sepulchred and blafkn the dead and distemw Arp? v-scattered paraDhrnai-, Us t. me nauieraoie Sten -v, Witness nn tn cvnor; A part, capturing several thousand men of Johnson's Division, and communicating a temporary panic to other portions of the field. Confidence however was soon restored, officers ana men alike appreciating the necessity of re-taking the captured lines to prevent general disaster. I shall never forget the scene of confusion that immediately succeeded this abrupt success of the enemy's demonstration. The scattered fugitives, the mingled shouts of inquiry and of apprehension, the multitudinous voices of command and entreaty, the faces of anxiety 'and dismay," the cries of the wounded and the perpetual fusi-lades of musketry, made up a tout ensemble of the wildest character, which the obscuring mists of morning tended to intensify and exaggerate.

Now it was that this brigade was called upon to lead a charge, which was made with a decision and an elan that has Immortalized it in the Army of Northern Virginia, and which has even been celebrated in European correspondents' accounts of the doings and deeds of daring of this fearful day. Rising as one man, with bayonets en charge, and with a yell that rent the very conclave, the line rushed forward. Thro' the lifting fog the Stars and Stripes were seen waving over the captured works and the glittering steel of the foeman in serried, phalanx arrayed. Heedless of the deep gaps made in their ranks, as they were plowed by the merciless missiles of death, and deaf, as it were to the shrieks of dying and wounded comrades as thick and fast they fell, onward pressed that gallant line of he in order to prevent tne a demonstration in our rear. May 5.

-The enemy oeing found morning to have entirely disappeared from our front the brigade proceeded at once in the wake of the rest of the army. En route, tte sullen booming of artillery and the rattle ot musketry, in the distance, announces that the enemy had really effected a crossing at Germana Ford in overwhelming force, (which subsequent lights justify us in estimating at nearly 200,000 men, of all arms ot service,) and that hostilities had actually comir-enced. that the carn'a; of blood had again set in and that the paiJGis. i excitements, smi horrors of strife, which had fV' many months of ouiet wt i -i the l.somi of our rude winter homes, w. r.

wain forth in all thir demoniac fury. On reaching a point iu what is known as the Wilderness tissylvania, classic and bloody gixtmt'a since those and the days of Chatict-I-irsYille, some six miles beyond Locust Grove, (the partial scene of Meade's abortive Mine Run operation of the preceding year.) the first signs of conflict began to meet our gaze Many of our own wounded and large numbers of the wounded and captives of the enemy, were being brought to the rear, and the mangled dead were profusely scattered around. The enemy, pressing forward, confident of surprise and success, had been met and brilliantly repulsed by A. P. Hill's and a portion of Ewell's Corps, thanks to the wondrous military genius and intuition of our consummate leader and the dauntless intrepidity of our gallant troops.

The aence or the fearful enfilade fire HILE a prisoner ax run. Delaware, in 1864, Major Seaton Gales prepared the following Diary of his experiences as a Staff Officer in Cox'3 Brigade of the Army of Northern Virginia. Of Major Gales, his Brigade Com sharpshooters had on oM night of the 12th by the perpetual and w. nV Ari of bullets alone, just as worn away by the continual VrrZ of water. In exploring ti was shocked to find th- unh.

r'v. b- I tht eigh. In company with had him as decently ln.rV.'i nlPfnmetnniAn T. i -i fr frravfl TV. ii.

closing nothing of turned, in the afternoon, mer position. Amid all the excitemeitis I did not fail to reminl- i that il'i son's birthday, and th. the loved and anxious at hn May 1C. The brigad- the right some distan.v. 1 mander.

General William It. Cox sajrs. "Major Gales was a man of variea accomplishments. He entered the service as Assistant Adjutant-General at the formation of the brigade and served with Anderson, Ramseur and myself until captured at the battle or Fisher's Hill. Before entering the service, he had an established reputation as a speaker and writer.

As an officer of the brigade, I ever found him true and loyal to his commander. aaies, Lieut. Caleb Richmond and Lieut. J. S.

Battle, during every engagement of their service, were kept on the firing line bearing commands from point to point as the battles progressed and proved themselves true and gallant soldiers." (North Carolina Regiments, 1861-1865, V. 463.) The Diary will be published in five installments. Editors. I. KXPERIENCES WITH THE ARMY IX VIRGINIA.

CAMPAIGNS OF 1861. most disastrous chances; Of moving accidents by flood and field; Of hair-breadth 3capes i' the nent deadly breach; Of being taken by the insolent foe And sold to slavery; of my redemption thence, And 'portance in traveTs history." Merchant of Venice, Act 1. Sc. HI scene of Anderson's v.i'n tiie cutimy on uf sth and li'th. Th-r dead were mostly still the stench beggar-d Heavy rain fell.

May 17. Quiet during just before niit t.h ordered to make another We found the enemy strong ly intrenched in our I'mnt an 1 initially engaged them, but. uncb: th circumstances, it was um' i to retire, which did we ft enemy ioss in tnis encounter waa tremendous and fearful, and the victorious first fruits of the campaign were lavishly poured by Providence into the lap of Confederate prowess. General Lee is described as having led a charge in person on this memorable day awakening "the intensest ardor and enthusiasm among his troops. Of course we arrived too late to participate in this engagement.

In a remote part of the field fell this day my friend and connection, Walker Anderson, Ordnance Officer of Cooke's Brigade, slain by a chance shot. He lived and died a Christian gentleman. "Felix non solum classitate vitae bed etiam opportunitate mortis' May 6. We lay in line of battle this day, in momentary anticipation of a renewal of the conflict, but naught but severe skirmishing ensued until a late hour of the evening, when this brigade made a dash against the position held by Burnside's 9th Corps, driving it pell mell, to the utter abandonment of arms, knapsacks, blankets, and other spoils. In this corps were several companies of Indians from Michigan, (such are the heterogeneous element of which the Yankee armies are composed, embracing as many nationalities as congre'gated in Jerusalem at the time of the showering of the Pentecostal fire,) who left behind them some of peculiar slight loss.

May 18. Grant sault, under cover of a on Ewell's line." easily repulsed. His loss was considerable. I do not rmemb have seen more 3hcekins mutilatioa than his dead along tlie frunt esh from the effects ot our veli artillery. May 19.

Ewell's orps vxt brigade, of course. incJdv! a i-vanced some two mils to a. nin the whereabouts of tho enemy, vM wero reported to have drawn iff fr'-n our front. We encountered and -gaged them, in force near the lnv'" Ni, (one of the four trophies of their tribe, from the wam pum belt to the beaded moccasin. and spirited battle lasted through several hour? ha ndsuiTiel May 7 th Grant abandons his dead and wounded and retreats to his en drove the lankees veri trenched lines between the Wilder In the double hope cf dispelling the intolerable ennui which broods, like an incubus, over the life of a prisoner of war.

and often drags down his: spirits to the lowest point of depression, and of making a record of events which my children, in after years, may read with pride, and interest, and -affectionate sympathy, I commence on this 2 3rd day of November, 1864, within the frowning walls of the military prison of Fort Delaware the work of writing out the notes which have accumulated on my hands since the commencement, in May last, of the gigantic campaign of the present year, not yet terminated, and signalized, already, by an amount of slaughter and desolation to which profane history affords no parallel. And as I momentarily recall those varied, wonderful and thrlllng events, and survey, in mental retrospection, the incidents and accidents of the year, the battles, sieges, marches, exposures, the victories and disasters, my personal perils and Providential deliverances, I am filled with gratitude to the great Dispenser of all good, that He has In mercy spared my unworthy life amid such and so great Though it be my present lot to experience one of the most bitter fortunes of war that of captivity, how many have been cut off forever by the leaden messengers of death, or the inexorable bolts of pestilence, from family, friends and sacred home! On the 2nd of May, 1864, the Bri roes, onward over all intervening obstacles, onward thro' hissing shot and screaming shell, onward towards the already warding enemy, onward after their now broken columns, onward into the regained intrenchments, onward to victory; and then, with shout after shout, which distant friends, watching the result with in-tensest eagerness, repeated and the hills and valleys re-echoed, once again the battle cross of stars was planted on the ramparts! Several abortive efforts were made by the enemy subsequently during the day to re-take the position, but they were each time easily and effectually repulsed. All along the lines the engagement was general throughout the long, long day, but I can only pretend to describe the part enacted by my own brigade in the terrible and bloody drama. Its losses were heavy and conspicuous, and manj' of its best and bravest spirits fell that day to rise no more until the trumpet of the Resurrection morn shall summon them before the Great Captainl Nor shall I essay to paint the sanguinary horrors of the Held, the scenes of wild, tumultuous, diabolic strife. This I have attempted in previous descriptions, and, in its general incidents and con comitants, one great battle is like every other.

I shall only say that the enemy was repulsed at all points; that, while our own loss was severe, that of the Yankees was, from the very nature of the conflict, immeasurably greater; and that night, most welcome visitant, found us with our lines entire and intact in every particular. I may here remark that Grant, whose brutal recklessness and Indifference to human life has won for him the damning soubriquet of the "Butcher," is estimated, up to this night, to have lost at least 40,000 of his grand army! With profoundest gratitude to Almighty Gr.d, am 1 enabled to exclaim, in the animated language of the Psalmist, that "though a thousand fell beside me and ten thousand at my right hand," I escaped uninjured from this fiery ordeal. I must record an affecting incident of the day. Private Tisdale Stepp, Co. 14th N.

C. V. (my old regiment) in that memorable charge was conspicuous for his gallantry. Advancing with the line, undaunted by the perils that environed him and inspired by a lofty patriotism he was chanting the "Bonnie Blue Flag" above the roar of musketry. Still sing.

Ing and firing as he went, a death shot felled him in the midst of the lofty refrain, and let us trust that the national lyric as it died on his lips was converted into one of the swelling anthems of Redemption! Much rain had fallen through the aay and. during the dreary and sleepless hours of the night, exhausted and shivering we lay in the muddy and bloody trenches, while the air was rent by the moans of the wounded. The sharpshooters of the enemy (to add to the discomfort) had attained a Position from which they were enabled t0 enfilade our portion of the line and all night they kept up a continuous stream of fire over our heads, so that it was hazardous in the extreme to raise up even for the purpose of shifting an uneasy position. May IS. We were relieved from our position in the trenches just SSf? daI- The "moval was attended with some slight loss.

We were transferred to an interior line and naa a day of comparative rest thn it still rained. This terribly Sipped ESi eVinCe no clination tS re-new his assaults. bv hia lines the left flenk, takinjr nom He was my ftrst Retlntki cll for some distance, killing ad wy.iid-ing a large number, but lvmforr- ments reaching them our furth' progress was stayed. Our los vm not heavy, considering the an-ima-tl and hotly contested nature of the t-n gagement. At night we quietly tired, under cover of an darkness, regaining our original Is.

wet and exhausted, about when we threw ourselves on the damp ground and slept until murunr'- May 20. This day the sary of the secession of North 'ar lina and the succeeding ono. MJ 21st) wore away in agreeable I availed myself of it. on the bitt--day, to Visit the wagon-yard. on five miles oft for the purpose of ing and changing my iotb- s- Ing the first opportunity I had indulging in such a luxury s.nr-inauguration of the may observe, en passant, t.

generally from the commen m-i hostilities, had been of th character. Irregular and meals, invariably eaten in th and broken and un.satisiy,i,r were the universal lot. May 22 Grant again left flank, via Guinea SUt: -wards Hanover Junction, i ness and Stiggs Mills, nearly co-incident with the Brook road and leading from the former to Spottsylvania C. H. May 8 Skirmishing and Grant retreats toward Fredericksburg.

Anderson, commanding Longstreet's Corps, attacks the 5th Corps and Wat. ters's Cavalry near Spottsylvania C. IL, inflicting heavy punishment and loss; and, later in the day, our Division (Rodes') arriving on the ground, make a gallant charge rapidly drivings the enemy and confirming the general success of the day. Our own losses were but slight. May 9.

Both sides employed in intrenching and fortifying lines. Considerable skirmishing prevailed. May 10. We are attacked in our intrenchments by the enemv, who were ultimately repulsed with immense slaughter, their dead strewing the ground for acres. At one time their heavily massed columns succeeded in breaking through a salient on the right of the position held by our brigade and occupied by Daniel's and Doles' Brigades, and, rushing through the breach thus made with an impetuous onset, for a few moments poured a dreadful fire into the rear and flank of those Ifrigades.

It was gade to which I am attached, (as chief of staff,) then commanded by S. D. Ramseur. broke up winter quarters near Orange C. and moved down to the Rapid Anna, a stream dividing the counties of Orange and side of which had been respectively picket ed by the two armies during the en tire winter.

On that day, the quiet which had so long and so agreeably rLee, at once appreciating bis promptly moves his army flank in the same direct! May 23. Reached th' Vn Tiintlrn and took r- a exists ot areaaiui suspense, and for a brief interval, the worst feani prevailed. The excellent practice of our artillery, however, and the prompt arrival of this brigade and other troops at the point of danger soon turned the tide, and the briefly jubilant foe, inflamed with momentary success and wWskey, were hurled a by a thunderbolt, back to their own lines, with a fearful penalty unon their temerity. Maj. James Iredell fellow townsman and college ciasi mate, was killed in this affair arid late the same night, by the light of a torch and beneath the silence of the North Anna river.

farm. In the (whose route had been a more circuitous one, sight, and a lively once ensued. Some oi shell were thrown with accuracy and precision. May 24. After but moved and took posit i'-n near the railroad, wh: prevailed was unbroken.

May 3. Evidences of uneasiness, upon the part of the enemy, were apparently early in the morning, and, during the day, immense wagon trains were visible from the eminence moving circuitously to our right, a sure prognostic that Grant, who had been elevated to the extraordinary rank of and assigned to the command of the Army of the Potomac, was on the eve of Inaugurating that grand campaign upon which the Yankee press and public, with blatant exultation, were building such extravagant expectations of success. May 4. Further evidences, such as the smoke of distant fires, indicating the burning of winter quarters, and the reduction of the picket-lines in our front, increase the certainty that the enemy is on the move for some of the lower fords of the river, with a view to crossing General Lee, with that wonderful military prescience which enables him to antici sur, ajsaiaiea committing hla tuaiTgcu iu noon. Heavy cannonading the day and our new wvij 0 uuc grave, mark ing the spot for the future identifi tion of his relatives and friends May-11.

Heavy skirmishinjr of Spottayl. vania C. H. At a very early hour of the morning, long- ere we had thrown up i subjected to another en(i fire. At times o-ir shooters did remarkably "The heavenly harnessed team Began his golden progress in vals of the day and 1 i.

v. Tuirbi'. the 1 pate the designs of his adversary, has already put the army in motion in that Grant attacks our lines -with denselv massed columns, frequently five six lines deep. at first, owing to the blankets, the hours wore and uncomfortably. It how much the human ton-nt CContinued on Vz direction, but our brigade is ordered.