LEE’S ATTACKS NORTH OF THE CHICKAHOMINY.

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to Hood and Law for making the first break in the Federal line, and quotesfrom Jackson’s report: “ Dashing on with unfaltering step in the face ofthose murderous discharges of canister and musketry, General Hood andColonel E. M. Law at the head of their respective brigades rushed to thecharge with a yell. Moving down a precipitous ravine, leaping ditch andstream, clambering up a difficult ascent, and exposed to an incessant anddeadly fire from the intrenchments, these brave and determined men pressedforward, driving the enemy from his well-selected and fortified position. Inthis charge, in which upward of a thousand men fell killed and woundedbefore the fire of the enemy, and in which fourteen pieces of artillery andnearly a regiment were captured, the 4th Texas , under the lead of GeneralHood, was the first to pierce these strongholds and seize the guns.” It isevident that Jackson means to compliment Hood for being the first to piercethe intrenchments on the Federal left. But the word “ first ” has been mis-leading as to the point where the break was first made in the Federal line.

General Lawton in his official report stated that after the forces were brokenin front of him on our left, a staff-officer rode up and called for assistance tocharge a battery on the left, and that after marching two or three hundredyards by the right flank, “ the shouts of victory from our friends announcedthat the last battery had been taken and the rout complete.” In a letter tome just received, General Lawton says: “I do believe that the first breakwas on the right of the Federal line, and I moved against that line in front.My knowledge of the position of the battery to be charged was derived solelyfrom the lips of a staff-officer, who rode up to me at full speed on the field,and returned immediately to his chief. My recollection is, that very promptlyafter I heard the shouts of victory from our friends, the same messenger cameagain to request me to halt. ... I cannot feel that my memory fails mewhen I say that you struck the enemy in flank, while Winder’s command andmine moved directly on his front. The effect of these several attacks waspromptly felt, and soon became conspicuous.”

It was now quite dark, and I took the responsibility of halting all the troopson our left. General Winder thought that we ought to pursue into the woods,on the right of the Grapevine Bridge road; but, not knowing the position ofour friends, nor what Federal reserves might be awaiting us in the woods, Ithought it advisable not to move on. General Lawton concurred with me. Ihad no artillery to shell the woods in advance, as mine had not got throughthe swamp. Ho Confederate officer on the field knew that the Federals hadbut one bridge over which to retreat, else all the artillery that could have beencollected would have opened fire upon the Federal masses crowded into a nar-row space in the woods, and there would have been a general advance of ourline under cover of this fire. Winder was right; even a show of pressure musthave been attended with great results. I made my headquarters at McGehee’shouse, and ordered my artillery and infantry to occupy the hill around it.The artillery, however, did not get into position until sunrise next morning.Before the infantry was in place, we heard huzzaing on the bridge road, andunderstood by that that reenforcements had come to cover up the Federal