History of the War, Part V [pp. 257-270]

THE LITERARY MESSENGER.
A Magazine Devoted to Literature, Science and Art.
RICHMOND, MAY, 1863.,
The brigade of Keyes followed S[er
man's across the Run, and bore to the left
until it encountered a severe fire from a
part of Latham's battery of two sixpound(lers, under Lieutenants I)avid(son and
Leftwich, which was so effective that to
advance in its face was too trying to the
Federals. They, accordingly, matde a rapid
movement by the left flank across an open
field, clearing the way to the Federal engineer corps under Captain Alexander, who
crossed the stream and cut out and cleared
away the abattis of felled trees in front of
the stone bridge. Keyes intended to turn
the battery of two guns and capture it, but
before his flank movement was executed
it had been removed to a safe position. a
He then sought to advance in line with
Slherman, bearing down upon the small
force of Southerners who. tip to this time,
bad nobly sustained the whole attack of the
enemy.
The position of these brave'men woould
now have been appalling.to any but the
stoutest hearts. Tlley were reduced to an
effective force of less than three thousrand
men, with but eight pieces of artillery;
the enemy were in front and on each flank
|with enormous infantry masses, numbering
more than twenty-five thousand, with
twenty-four pieces of-artillery, embracing
many rifled cannon and the, regular light
batteries of the United States-considered
most effective. Though their terrible fire
and stubborn courage had greatly shattered and disheartened the Federal ranks,
yet the Southerners were so feeble in numb
bers as to be in danger of being entirely
a Tyler's Reports 27tl July. Whig, Aug.
17th.
The brigadesoofSherman and Keyes were
.put in motion to cross at the fords above
the bridge. The small Southern forces defending these fords had been withdrawn
by orders to hasten to the support of Bee
and Evans. Hence the Federals encountered no opposition at the Run. Sherman
crossed first, and bearing to the right,H
sought to join his line of battle to that of
Heintzelman. But he had hardly emerged
from the shelter of the skirt of trees, on
the stream, before he mnet a heavy fire from
the Southern artillery' on his left, under
which his men wavered and recoiled. To
re-assure them until a diversion of this
fire could be made, they received an order
to lie down, which they ve. y promptly obeyed.
This practice, once begun, was'repeated
by the men until, in the words of a Northern eye-witness, "some regiments, at last,
could not be made to stand at any point
whatever; the least report of cannon, or
musketry, sending them instantly upon
their knees; and an entire company of the
New York Second were seen to grovel in
the dust at the accidental snapping of a
percussion cap of one of their own,
rifles!" a
a Letter in the N. Y. Tribune, dated
July 23rd.'
YoL. XXXVII-17
VOL. 37.]
[No. 5.
HISTORY OF THE WAR.
]BY ROBERT R. HOWISON.
-Author of a History of Vir,,inia.
(Copy-riglit see,-ired.)
CHAPTER VI.
(CONTINUED.)