8 The Conservative ,
A IlOV AT SII1M > 1I.
( By llnjor Clmrlus Morton , Fourth United
States Cavalry. )
( CONCLUDED KHOM LAST ISSUE. )
Here this pnper should properly end ,
for its main object is to give some of the
circumstances attending the attack and
shoving back of the Sixth division. But
as I desire to make a few comments on ,
I will not say criticise , the battle , and as
my story is not long I will continue to
presume upon your patience.
Our little party was soon approached
by Captain Donnelly , the brigade adju
tant , who demanded with some asperity
to know why we had not obeyed
the order to retire , directed us
to do so , and pointed to the rear ,
towards Hurlbnt's division as where our
division was forming. W had simply
heard no orders. We soon came to an
open field , and as both flanks had been
turned , to go to the right or loft meant
certain death or capture. We must
cross the open ground. A few rods out ,
and whiz-whiz-whiz , the bullets cut the
air. Zip-zip-zip , they ricocheted by our
sides to the front. None hit me , but
they excited wonderfully my power of
propulsion , and I believe my fortune
would be assured as a sprinter now if I
could only find some equally effective
promoter of locomotion.
Behind a high rail fence , on low
ground in dense underbrush , we found
the remnants of the regiment and bri
gade assembled in lino. Soon a terrific
artillery duel commenced from the
enemy trying to shell us from the posi
tion. We were supporting a 20-pounder
battery , always referred to by nieii as
the "black-gun" battery ( probably
Welker's of the First Missouri ) . Its
manipulation and manoeuvring were
truly marvellous , and brought forth
time and again cheers that sounded
above the roar of battle. As a battery ,
or deployed by platoons , section , or
pieces , it would deliver fire ; and the
limbers , drawn by eight strong horses ,
would seem to bound to the rear , can
noneers spring to their places , and fly
away at breakneck speed , regardless of
trees , logs or other obstacles , to a now
position. Hardly would they leave the
firing point , when a grist of shot or shell
would come screaming through the air ,
to find them gone.t These projectiles
usually went high , playing havoc with
limbs and tree-tops , that showered upon
us , onoe completely enveloping a num
ber of men , who crawled from under ,
midst the laughter of all near. I saw
one of the enemy's guns end-up and
keel-over , and other confusion caused
by our guns. Meanwhile we had
changed position several times , and the
enemy , unseen , had massed an enormous
force close by. We occupied , for a time
a sunken road that traversed a ridge
but finally moved straight to the from
in line , the centre in a dim road , Major
Powell commanding , in advance of the
colors , but walking backwards. We
were soon upon the enemy , formed , in
such close order as to appear simply as a
vast multitude. Note again , no skirm-
shers in advance. The major , turning
0 the front , saw the enemy , and real-
zing the critical situation , waved his
sword , and commanded , "To the rear ,
march ! " falling , as did also the color-
bearer , from the volley wo received.
Sergeant Simmons rushed up and
grabbed the flag , and four or five of us
dragged Major Powell away. A few
imndred yards to the rear wo put him in
an ambulance. Ho enjoined us to re
turn to the firing line and to do our best ,
; hat every man was needed. He was
shot in the side , and died that night ,
patriotic , cool and brave to the last.
We found the firing line in the sunken
road mentioned , which was about fif-
: een inches or more deep , affording ex
cellent cover and good rest while firing.
For a short distance to the front there
was an undergrowth of hickory and
oak , not yet leaved out , so we could see
and aim through it , but so dense as to
conceal our line at a few yards. We
held this position for hours , pouring a
deadly fire upon the enemy , and repuls
ing every attempt to dislodge us. The
underbrush became wooden stubble ,
gnawed off by bullets. The road-bed ,
after the battle , had a carpet of paper
from the cartridges wo had bitten off.
At the front one could walk on the
enemy's dead for acres. This is liter
ally true ; and a large portion of the
ground bore but charred remains , from
a fire that had swept over it. Before
the position was taken and many of
the line captured , my ammunition being
almost exhausted , I found there was not
in sight a face I know. A feeling came
over me I cannot describe , a dread that
if I were killed no one would know what
had become of mo , not even my brothers
or parents. I deliberately walked away.
A few rods to the rear I saw the first
evidence of general supervision of the
battle , a wagon load of ammunition
piled by the roadside but none of it fit
my musket. Soon I met niy brother ,
John N. , also hunting the regiment ,
which we found a little further on , in
line across the road. It was nearly sun
set.
To show in part the desperate fighting
the enemy had to carry the sunken road ,
1 will give a few extracts from the ac
count written by Preston Johnston , son
and aide-de-camp to the confederate com
manding general , who lost his life in the
last charge :
"When the confederate army reached
Hurlbut's division and that of W. H. L
Wallace's , with a fragment of Prentiss'
a giant contest began. * * * Hurl
but's men were massed in a position so
impregnable , and thronged with such
fierce defenders , that it won from the
confederates the title of 'The Hornets
tfest. ' Here , behind a dense thicket on
ho crest of a hill , was posted a strong
'orco , as hardy troops as ever fought.
* * * For five hours brigade after
jrigado was led against it. Hindman's
irigade , which earlier in the day had
swept every thing before them , were now
reduced to fragments , and paralyzed for
she rest of the day. A. P. Stuart's reg-
ments made fruitless assaults. Gibson's
n-igado was ordered by Bragg to the as
sault , and made a gallant charge , but ,
ike the others , recoiled and fell back
with very heavy loss. Bragg ordered
ihem again to the charge , and again
they STiffered a bloody repulse. This
jloody affray lasted till nearly 4 o'clock ,
i. m. , without making any visible im
pression upon the federal centre. * * *
When General Johnston came up , and
saw the situation , he said to his staff :
They are offering stubborn resistance
icro. I shall have to put the bayonets
to them. ' * * * His hat was off ; his
iresenco was inspiring as he sat on his
; horoughbred bay. His voice was per
suasive ; his words were few. He said :
Men , they are stubborn. We must use
; he bayonet. ' When he reached the
entre of the line , he turned and said :
'I will lead you , ' and moved toward the
federal lines. With a mighty shout the
line moved forward at a charge. A
sheet of flame and a mighty roar burst
from the federal stronghold. The con
federate line withered , but there was not
an instant's pause. The crest was
gained. General Johnston had his horse
shot in four places ; his clothing was
pierced with bullets , and his bootsole
was cut by a minie-ball. The federal
soldiers kept up a continual fire as they
fell back on their reserves , and delivered
volley after volley as they sullenly re
tired. A mime-boll from one of these
did its fatal work. As he sat there after
his wound , General Harris returned , and
him asked him 'Gen
finding very pale , :
eral , are you wounded ? ' He answered
in a very deliberate and emphatic tone ,
Yes ; and I fear seriously. ' These were
his last words. "
About dark the head of Buell's army ,
led by a brass band playing merrily pat
riotic airs , marched upon this field of
carnage. This made a deep impression
upon all. After dark our shattered bat
talion was marched for rations inside the
intrenchuient constructed by Colonel
Webster , and then marched out again.
We had had nothing to eat all day.
Though exhausted from fatigue and
rain , the firing of the gunboats at short
intervals all night made sleep without
shelter or blankets impossible. At dawn
we were in the midst of the slain , and
learned for the first time how far the
enemy had turned our left , how near he
had approached the lauding , and how
desperate and bloody had been the con
test near our base. Many-of us sat upon
dead horses while we ate our breakfast
of hardbread and raw bacon. Near us
were six confederate dead , killed by a
