LEE’S ATTACKS NORTH OF THE CHICK A HOMIN Y.

359

In Ms attack upon General McClellan ’s right wing General Lee had 50,000men.\ General Fitz John Porter , who commanded the Federals at Cold Har-bor, handled his 40,000 men with an ability unsurpassed on any field duringthe war. He had greatly the advantage in position, and he had improvedthis superiority with intrenchments, log breastworks, rifle-pits, and abatis.He had an immense preponderance in artillery, and that of the most superbcharacter. Many of our field-batteries did not get across the swamp at all,and those which did get over were inferior in range and power to GeneralPorter’s. Artillery seems to have been a favorite arm with General McClel-lan , and he had brought it to the highest point of efficiency.

I do not know how much of our infantry straggled in the swamp. Ripleygot lost, and his fine brigade was not in action at all. Of Colquitt’sbrigade, the 6th and 27th Georgia regiments were engaged; the other threeregiments in coming out of the swamp found themselves behind Jackson ’scorps and were not engaged. Rodes, Garland, and Anderson kept their bri-gades well in hand and did brilliant service. (These three splendid officerswere all killed, subsequently, in battle.) I do not know how many men theother five divisions lost by the difficulties of the swamp.

Riding in advance of his skirmish-line through the swamp attended by afew staff-officers, General Jackson found himself in the presence of fifteen ortwenty Federal soldiers on outpost duty. He judged it the part of prudenceto assume the offensive and charge upon them before they fired upon him. Iam indebted to Major T. O. Chestney, then assistant adjutant-general ofElzey’s brigade, for the following account:

“ As Elzey’s brigade was pressing forward to the line held by the Confederates at the bloodybattle of Gaines’s Mill, a squad of fifteen or twenty soldiers were encountered on their way tothe rear. A tall fellow at the head of the little party drew special attention to himself bysinging out to us at the top of his voice with an oath, ‘ Gentlemen, we had the honor of beingcaptured by Stonewall Jackson himself,’—a statement which he repeated with evident prideall along the line, as our men tramped past. We subsequently learned that his story was true.General Jackson , having ridden some distance in advance, had come suddenly upon the blue-coats, and with his characteristic impetuosity had charged among them and ordered them tosurrender, which they made haste to do.”

One of tbe saddest things connected with the miserable fratricidal war wasthe breaking up of ties of friendship and of blood. The troops opposing mineon that murderous field that day were the regulars of General George Sykes,a Southerner by birth, and my room-mate at West Point,—a man admiredby all for his honor, courage, and frankness, and peculiarly endeared to me byhis social qualities. During the negotiations of the cartel for the exchangeof prisoners, intrusted to General Dix and. myself, I sent word to GeneralSykes, through Colonel N. B. Sweitzer, of General McClellan ’s staff, that

it was later in the night when we started. I have alsoalways supposed that in going for water we went insidethe Confederate lines. I remember that several timesduring the night we approached very near your lines, onone occasion actually seeing your men gathered abouta smoldering camp-fire in the woods. I suppose youwill not blame me for saying that we should all haveesteemed it a great honor if we had made your acquaint-ance that night.”

\ Dabney, in his u Life of Jackson/’ puts theConfederate force at 40,000. Swinton estimatesPorter ’s forces at 30,000 and Lee’s at 70.000 —an under and an over estimate respectively, Ithink— D. H. H.

General Porter (see foot-note, p. 336) estimateshis fighting strength at 30,000, and that of theConfederates at 65,000.— Editors.