USA > Texas > The Confederate capital and Hood's Texas brigade > Part 18
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To her was attributed the information as to routes, etc., that led to what was known as Kilpatrick's and Dahlgren's raid. as she gave directions about what points to strike, what mitis to destroy, that showed her malignant hatred.
The plan was to engage General Lee's attention by a fein: in the direction of Charlottesville, under General Custer, while Kil- patrick, with five thousand picked cavalry and a battery of six guns, made a dash upon Richmond, liberating the prisoners and doing as much damage as possible, seeking to enter the city by the Brook turnpike.
Colonel Dahlgren started with Kilpatrick, but at Spottsylvania
+James Seddon.
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Court House they separated, Dahlgren proposing to strike the James river, cross to the south bank, and enter from that direc- tion. He had five hundred men, with orders to destroy artillery, railroads and telegraph lines.
He struck the river in Goochland county. burned Dover Mills a grist mill, cut the locks of the canal, and, after many acts of wanton cruelty to the people, employed a negro to guide him to the ford of the river. When he reached the place the stream was swollen by rains, and impossible to cross. Believing the negro had duped him, he ordered him to be instantly hung by a rein from his own horse's bridle, which was executed.
Custer's advance was driven back. Kilpatrick, after reaching within sight of the city, but never within reach of the artillery among the fortifications, was driven back by a small body of troops, stationed to hold these works, and fled precipitately, fol- lowed by Wade Hampton's cavalry, and ended his share of the raid, which Northern papers had declared would "sack the rebel capital."
Not being able to cross the river as designed, Dahlgren pur- sued his way to Richmond, along the Westham plank road. plundering and destroying everything within his power, until he reached Greene's farm, about nine miles from the city, where he was met by a battalion of armory artisans and the clerks' bat- talion. These men were engaged in the employ of government departments, organized and drilled to defend the capital in the absence of troops; always ready at a moment's warning, when the alarm was sounded, to rush from their desks and work- benches and take their places in the field.
Surprised at the unexpected attack, Dahlgren's men became demoralized, and fled at the first volley of musketry, leaving eighteen killed and thirty or forty wounded.
The rebel loss was a captain and two lieutenants killed, three lieutenants and seven privates wounded. This was a gallant little affair, and called forth much grateful admiration from the people, who turned out in a large concourse to attend the funeral of the fallen braves.
Dahlgren retreated as fast as possible, seeking to reach Kilpat- rick, of whose repulse he was not aware. He was attacked by some home-guards and rangers, furloughed cavalrymen of Lee's army, who pursued them.
Dahlgren was riddled with bullets while leading his men and shouting surrender, thinking the attack was only by some skulk- ers-his men begging piteously to surrender-scattered as they were through the woods.
Upon Dahlgren's body was found some remarkable documents,
SSANMAC'ILA HIL "LEE TO THE REAR."
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disclosing a diabolical scheme at variance with the customs of civilized nations, his scouts wearing the Confederate gray.
The following is a copy of his address to his men and officers:
"HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, { "CAVALRY CORPS, 1864. 1 "Officers and Men:
"You have been selected from brigades and regiments as a picked command to attempt a desperate undertaking-an under- taking which, if successful, will write your names on the hearts of your countrymen in letters that can never be erased, and will cause the prayers of our fellow-soldiers, now confined in loath- some prisons, to follow you and yours wherever you may go.
"We hope to release the prisoners from Belle Isle first, and having seen them fairly started, we will cross the James river into Richmond, destroying the bridges after us, and exhorting the released prisoners to destroy and burn the hateful city; and do not allow the rebel leader Davis, and his traitorous crew to escape. The prisoners must render great assistance, as you can not leave your rauks too far, or become too much scattered, or you will be lost.
"Do not allow any personal gain to lead you off, which would bring you only to an ignoble death at the hands of citizens. Keep well together and obey ordeis strictly. Many of you will fall, but if there is any man here not willing to sacrifice his life in a great and glorious undertaking, or who does not feel capable of meeting the enemy in such a desperate fight, let him step out, and he may go hence, and read of the brave who swept through the city of Richmond. We want no man who can not feel sure of success in such a holy cause. Ask the blessings of the Almighty, and do not fear the enemy.
"A. DAHLGREN, "Colonel Commanding."
Upon another paper were special directions containing these words:
"Pioneers will go along with combustible material. The offi- cer must use his discretion about the time of assisting us. The pioneers must have plenty of oakum and turpentine for burning, which will be rolled in soaked balls, and given to the men to burn when we get into the city. They must be well prepared with turpentine."
Well do we recall the day of this memorable raid. Everything in the city was upon a war footing. When the news reached the place that a party was approaching, by a preconcerted signal the bells rang the fire alarm.
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The battalions hurried to their place of rendezvous, people flocked from their homes, with whitened faces, to the streets and public thoroughfares. Capitol Square was crowded with an eager mass of non-combatants, anxious to hear the news -- too excited to wait for news, and impatient at the result. Rumors were flying thick and fast, and General Lee was too far away to render any help in this sore time of trial. Hour after hour dragged slowly on, and night closed in. Still nothing reliable. People gathered their valuables together in as small compass as possible, and with a few changes of clothing, prepared for the worst.
What a thrill passed, like an electric flash, from heart to heart, when the pressure was removed early in the morning from the sleepless watchers, that the raid was repulsed, and later, that Dahlgren was killed. When his shocking orders were made pub- lic, indignation knew no bounds. The prisoners, captured while wearing the Confederate uniform. many thought should be hung as spies, but their assurance that their service was not voluntary saved them from the death penalty.
Many stories were circulated in Northern papers about Dahl- gren being assassinated and his body subjected to malignant treatment, but this was wholly untrue.
Mr. Davis says: "The truth is, his body was sent to Rich- mond and decently interred in Oakwood Cemetery, where other Federal soldiers were buried. The enormity of his offense was not forgotten, but resentment against him ended with his lire. It was also admitted that however bad his preceding conduct had been, he met his fate gallantly, charging at the head of his men when he found himself inexplicably encompassed by the foe."
AND HOOD'S TEXAS BRIGADE. 163
CHAPTER XVIII.
General Grant Takes Command of the Army of the Potomac-Plans for Crushing Out the Rebellion-Battle of the Wilderness-Gallant Actor . f the Texas Brigade -Battle of Spottsylvania Court House-General Ster .- dan's Raid-Death of General J. E. B. Stuart-Grant Moves Histwar :, Followed by Lee-Battle of Cold Harber-Fearful Slaughter of Feleris- The Men Refuse to Attack-Grant Crosses to South Side of the Jamdies- General Butler's Plan to Reach Richmond by the Back Door -- General Lee Concentrates at Petersburg-General Early with Second Army Curs Sent to the Valley-Experience of Texas Brigale in the Trenches of Petersburg -- Early's Success in the Valley-Fields' and Other Divisions Moved North of the James-Springing of the, Mine at Petersburg -- Slaughter at the Crater-Grant Attacks North of the James-Repulsed Handsomely by Cavalry and Infantry.
After the disaster of Bragg's army at Missionary Ridge, and the Federal success, General Grant's fame became at full tide, and he rapidly took his position as the military genius of the North, so long and vainly sought. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general, and transferred his influence to the Army of the Potomac, conceiving that extended plan which eventually became successful in settling the problem of States' rights, which had, from the foundation of the government, agi- tated the minds of the most intellectual statesmen of the country.
One column, under Sherman, was to march through the centre of the Confederacy, devastating and destroying all that came within its reach. Another was to clear of Confederate forces and lay waste the beautiful valley of Virginia, cutting Lee's railroad communication for supplies for his army. General Butler was to operate from the Peninsula route, and General Grant bini- self to lead the Army of the Potomac. This vast scheme, where so much blood and treasure was to be expended, like a huge anaconda sought by starvation and the steel bands of greater numbers, to crush the hopes of a people unconquerable upon the battle-field.
He wanted a cavalry leader to give powerful assistance to his operations. He seemed to find all the requirements in General Sheridan, who had become famous in the West as a trooper, and whose exploits he had watched in his Western campaign. Plac- ing him in command of the cavalry, he determined to undertake another "On to Richmond," and, if repulsed, then to move around and reach the James river below Richmond, connecting
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with Butler's army and moving up to the south side of the James.
General Lee allowed him to cross the Rapidan unmolested, and he thought he was surprising Lee, and had turned his flank. Grant's object was to pass through the Wilderness to the roads between Lee and Richmond. Lee resolved to fight him in those pathless woods, "where his artillery would be least available, and where his massive columns would be most embarrassed, and where Southern individuality and self-reliance would be specially effective."
We left the Texas brigade in camp near Gordonsville, after Longstreet's return to Lec's army.
In the following extracts from a private note book of Major C. M. Winkler, who was with the 4th Texas regiment, we are able to present the record made at the time, of an incident of the battle of the Wilderness which has been the subject of much dis- cussion and some dispute. The events recorded are authentic, and we are happy to give what was jotted down in his own hand- writing:
"May 4th. Marched towards the enemy; passed Orange Court House; camped at 11 p. m.
"May 5th. Started before day, marched hard till late in p. m., passing ground of cavalry skirmishing; met Federal prisoners; camped. Learned that Grant had crossed the Rapidan at Ely's and Germana fords with three corps under Sedgwick, Warner and Hancock.
"May 6th. Marched before day in the direction of plank road, where it enters the Wilderness. At dawn firing ahead; turned forward along the plank road; deployed left, north of the road; advanced through the pines to a battery and some rail breast- works. General Lee, raising his hat, expressed his confidence in our ability to retake the ground from which Wilcox's and Heth's divisions were rapidly retreating, pressed by the enemy. General Gregg said: 'Texans! the eye of your general is upon you.' It is said that General Lee shed tears as we passed and went in with a yell, made a half wheel to the left, swept throughi the pines, and across the plank road, through heavy timber and dense undergrowth; Longstreet's corps going in left and right, without order; heavy flank fire from our left down the road; heavy loss for our men. 10 a. m. Reformed and again advanced along our end of the line to the breastworks. Longstreet's corps saved the day-a great victory; Longstreet wounded, General Jenkins, of South Carolina, killed, General Gregg's horse killed."
Hon. John Thompson Mason writes thus in Our Living and Our Dead, a magazine published in North Carolina in 1875:
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"We received a letter from a captain in a gallant North Carolina cavalry regiment who says, after quoting the language of the man who seized General Lee's bridle rein: 'If you lead the charge, we won't follow you, but if you'll go back, we'll drive them to h-1,' the identical words as told me before I ever saw any written account of it, were used by the adjutant of a Texas regiment, or by the adjutant of General Hood's Texas Brigade. My informant was a wounded Texan who belonged to that com- mand, and was evidently a man of intelligence. He told me he was wounded within a few feet of the spot, and was an eye-wit- ness of the occurrence. It was certainly the impression of my command and throughout the Army of Northern Virginia, so far as I know, that it was Hood's Texas Brigade that made the celebrated charge, and a gallant Texan who prevented the brave old general from leading them."
From "Personal Reminiscences of General Robert E. Lee," by Rev. J. William Jones, D. D., we find, on pages 316-318, this statement:
"On the morning of May 6th, 1864, in the Wilderness, as Heth's and Wilcox's divisions of A. P. Hill's corps were pre- paring to withdraw from the line of their gallant fight of the day before, to give place to Longstreet's corps, which was rapidly approaching, the enemy suddenly made upon them a furious at- tack with overwhelming numbers. These brave men were borne back by the advancing wave; General Lindsey Walker, with his artillery (superbly served under the immediate eye of Hill and Lee), was gallantly beating back the enemy, but they were gath- ering for a new attack, and it was a crisis in the battle, when the head of Longstreet's corps dashed upon the field. General Lee rode to meet thein, and found the old Texas Brigade, led by the gallant Gregg, in front. The men had not seen him since their return from Tennessee, and as he rode up he said: 'Ah! there are my brave Texans! I know you, and know that you can, and will drive those people back.' They greeted him with even more than their accustomed enthusiasm, as they hurried to the front. But they were soon horrified to find that their beloved chief was going with them into the thickest of the fight. The men began to shout: 'Go back, General Lee! Do go back ! General Lee to the rear! General Lee to the rear!' A ragged veteran stepped from the ranks and seized his reins, and at last the whole brigade halted and exclaimed, with one voice: We will not advance unless General Lee goes back; but if he will not expose himself, we pledge ourselves to drive the enemy back.'
"General Lee saw Longstreet, rode off to give him some order,
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the gallant Texans rushed eagerly forward, and redeemed their pledge. The rest of Longstreet's corps hurried to the front, Hill's troops rallied, the enemy was driven in confusion, and only the wounding of Longstreet at this unfortunate juncture, prevented the utter rout, if not the crushing of that wing of Grant's army."
With regard to the claims of others to this incident, Dr. Jones says: "Three incidents of this kind are noted by the writer. The first, on the morning of May 6th, 1864, the second, on the roth, and the third, on the reth of the same month; hence, the confusion in the minds of many. On the 6th, the first of these incidents occurred, and Gregg's Texas brigade composed the troops General Lee offered to lead; on the roth, a Virginia regi- ment, and on the 12th, a Mississippi regiment, furnished the ma- terial for the second and third of the incidents."
A member of company G, 4th Texas, W. E. Barry, now living, a prominent citizen of Navasota, Texas, furnished the following as a correct statement of the scene as witnessed by himself:
"Grant had crossed the Rappahannock with an immense host. We knew it. To conceal such an event from the rank and file was impossible. Even the number of the enemy had been ap- proximated. 'We have more to fight than ever before,' was a common expression; but I think the courage of our brave boys rose correspondingly.
"All day we had listened to the sullen roar of artillery, which told us that warm work was in front.
"Heth and Wilcox had met Warner's corps as it defiled through the Wilderness, and stayed their march.
"We bivouacked but a few miles away. Just about 3 o'clock on the morning of May 6th, Hood's brigade, then commanded by General John Gregg, was aroused from much-needed slumber, and long before the morning twilight glimmered, the march for the battle-field began. We were ignorant of our des- tination. Ignorant, did I say? Not entirely. There is a sub- lime inter-communication between officers even of the highest grade and the private soldiers of an army. It may not be ex- pressed in words, but can be felt.
"The stern command, 'Close up! close up" made everyone realize that something of momentous importance was at hand. I need not describe the feeling that comes over one 'just before the battle,' for all old soldiers remember it. Through brush, over ditches, in water and out of it we went at a double-quick.
"Ever increasing in volume came the sound of musketry at the front. Our brigade was in advance. Onward, still onward we went, until bullets began to fly among us, and wounded men and
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AND HOOD'S TEXAS BRIGADE.
fugitives began to pass us in great numbers. Most unfortunate for the Confederates had been the early morning conflict.
"Heth and Wilcox, of Hill's corps, had been surprised and beaten back at least a mile, and the victorious Federals were ad- vancing, elated by their success. It required some minutes to form us in line-minutes upon which the fate of the army hinged.
"Just after sunrise we debouched into an open glade or field, long since abandoned. Here came upon us an increasing storm of bullets, but for a moment we hardly thought of them, for there, on his war horse, sat General Robert E. Lec.
"Our command had been sent to Tennessee the year before. It had been many months since we had seen our beloved chieftain, and when we did behold him such a shout of gladness and affec- tion went up as I never before heard.
"Always so calm, placid and composed in demeanor, this day there was the fire of battle in his eye, and his form quivered with emotions. Like electricity spread through the ranks the idea that the issue was very critical, and that it depended upon us to redeem the day.
"To die in the sight of our grand commander did not seem a hard fate, for he was an idol and an inspiration. Into the affray we started, and he attempted to lead us. A cry of affectionate solicitude sprang to many throats: 'Lee to the rear! General Lee to the rear!'
"There was a rush toward him by several, I can not say how many. Among those who grasped his horse by the bridle I rec- ognized Captain James Harding, of the ist Texas regiment.
"I do not suppose that I would have remembered him but for the fact that a niglit or two before one of our company was tell- ing some joke on Harding about his straggling, for which he was noted, but it was remarked then that he was always among the first to 'straggle into a fight.' Harding now lives at Jack- son, Miss., and is as modest as brave.
" 'Lee to the rear!' We rushed forward, and struck full abreast the heavy Federal column. We stemmed and stayed them for a while, long enough for Longstreet to throw his entire corps into action and rout the enemy; long enough for one-half of our brigade to fall under the sombre shades of the 'Wilderness.
"I was shot down in the unequal struggle, and remember little else of that bloody day except my own suffering, but the historic scene I have mentioned has been photographed upon my mem- ory, almost burned into my brain."
From the pen of Captain R. J. Harding himself, we have the following:
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"On the morning of May 6th, 1864, at sunrise, Hood's bri- gade was formed for the charge at the Wilderness. The left of the rst Texas rested on the right of the 4th Texas. General Gregg was commanding and called out that General Lee would lead the charge. Three or four men, myself among the number, rushed out to General Lee and caught his horse. Several others followed, but were unable to get to the horse, and stood as a living wall around the general to prevent him from going into further danger. Every one who saw General Lee exposing him- self, cried out: 'Go back, General Lee! Lee to the rear,' etc. While I may have been the first man to catch General Lee's horse, there were several others directing their steps in the same direction and for the same purpose.
"The little incident belongs to no one man, and I earnestly beg that it be given to the whole brigade. We all did it because we loved our General Lee. W. E. Barry of Navasota, has a true recollection of the occurrence. I don't want to be made more conspicuous than any of my comrades. Was interviewed by a reporter of the Richmond Examiner during the war (after I was wounded ) and refused to let him mention my name."
Colonel C. S. Venable, a member of General Lee's staff, pro- fessor of mathematics of the University of Virginia, in a recent letter to the writer, says:
"I send you a copy of an address delivered in 1873 before the Virginia Association of the Army of Northern Virginia, on the fourth page of which you will find a brief, but accurate, account of what occurred when the men of the Texas brigade, com- manded by General Gregg, found that General Lee was riding forward with them in the splendid charge in the Wilderness on the morning of May 6, 1864. As I had the great honor of rid- ing by his side on that occasion, my testimony is that of an eye- witness of all the circumstances. General Longstreet, being farther to the right, knew nothing of it until General Lee had turned aside from the charge and had ridden to his ( Longstreet's) position. It was then I told General Longstreet of General Lee's riding forward in the charge with the Texas brigade."
The odds were very heavy against these two divisions, (Heth's and Wilcox's) which were altogether about ten thousand strong. The battle first began with Getty's Federal division, which was soon re-enforced by the Second corps, under General Hancock. General Hancock had orders, with his corps and Getty's division of the Sixth corps, to drive Hill back to Parker's store. This he tried to accomplish, but his repeated and desper- ate assaults were repulsed. Before night Wadsworth's division and a brigade from Warren's corps were sent to help Hancock,
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thus making a force of more than forty thousand men which was hurled against these devoted ten thousand, until 8 o'clock p. m., in unavailing efforts to drive them from their position. Ewell's corps, less than sixteen thousand strong, had repulsed Warren's corps in the Old Turnpike, inflicting a loss of three thousand or more and two pieces of artillery. Rosser, on our right, with his cavalry brigade, had driven back largely superior numbers of Wilson's cavalry divison on the Catharpin road. These initial operations turned Grant's forces from the wide sweeping march which they had begun, to immediate and urgent business in the Wilderness. The army which he had set out to destroy, had come up in the most daring manner, and presented itself in his pathway. That General Lee's bold strategy was very unex- pected to the enemy, is well illustrated by the fact recorded by Swinton, the Federal historian, that, when the advance of War- ren's corps struck the head of Ewell's column, on the morning of the 5th, General Meade said to those around him, "They have left a division to fool us here, while they concentrate and prepare a position on the North Anna, and what I want is, to prevent these fellows from getting back to Mine Run.' Mine Run was to that general doubtless a source of unpleasant reminiscences of the previous campaign. General Lee soon sent a message to Longstreet to make a night march and bring up his two divisions at daylight on the 6th. He himself slept on the field, making his headquarters a few hundred yards from the line of battle of the day. It was his intention to relieve Hill's two divisions with Longstreet's, and throw them farther to the left, to fill up a part of the great unoccupied interval between the plank road and Ewell's right, near the old turnpike, or use them on his right, as the occasion might demand. It was unfortunate that any of these troops should have become aware they were to be relieved by Longstreet. It is certain that owing to this impres- sion Wilcox's division, on the right, was not in a condition to receive Hancock's attack at early dawn on the morning of the 6th, by which they were driven back in considerable confusion. In fact, some of the brigades of Wilcox's division came back in disorder, but sullenly and without panic, entirely across the plank road, where General Lee and the gallant Hill in person helped to rally them. The assertion, made by several writers, that Hill's troops were driven back a mile and a half, is a most serions mistake. The right of his line was thrown back several hun- dred vards, but a portion of the troops still maintained their po- sition. The danger, however, was great, and General Lee sent his trusted Adjutant, Colonel W. H. Taylor, back to Parker's store, to get the trains ready for a movement to the rear. He
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