Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 21.djvu/380

 372 Southern Historical Society Papers.

&c. This was something like the force that the Confederate comman- der was to meet in the jungles of Spotsylvania in the early part of the month of May about the 3d or 4th and the Federal army, after occupying the whole night of the 3d in crossing the Rapidan at Kelly's, Ely's and Germanna Fords, was to seize our little army and strangle it and pass on to Richmond, but the ever watchful eye of Lee had arranged things differently, and the advance of Warren's corps was met and repulsed by the troops of A. P. Hill. The Cren- shaw battery reached Spotsylvania Courthouse late in the evening and went into position just to the left and rear of that building for the night, when early next morning one section of the battery was ordered to move off to the right, Mahone at that time having gained a signal advantage over the enemy by a quick movement to the right, piercing his right center capturing a number of prisoners. Here we had the limber- chests of one of the caissons blown up and had one man badly burned. After the return of this section to the line (for we had thrown up here a temporary line of breastworks) we re- mained in full view of the enemy until the quietness was suddenly broken by the wounding of William Ellis Jones by a sharpshooter, when again we commenced the same old unfortunate artillery duelling, in which we again were to suffer a percussion shell of the enemy, striking the front of one of our pieces, bursting and wounding three men Ser- geant Jeff. Thomas, who was shot in the face and painfully wounded; Alonzo Phillips, also shot in the face and dangerously wounded, and Richard Seeley, whose face was so badly cut that he never returned to the battery. It now became apparent to General Grant, who had been butting up against our earthworks, that his famous declaration of "fighting it out on that line if it took all the summer," was not to be fulfilled. After several brilliant charges on the part of both armies, notably the one of the Second corps (Hancock commanding), in which our General Edward Johnson was captured, with a large number of prisoners, which gave to the enemy only a temporary ad- vantage, as our works were speedily retaken, the Man of Destiny started on another flank movement, and soon both armies were manceu- vering for position, this time to halt near Hanover Junction, where Grant attempted to cross the North Anna river, the outcome of which was the battle of Jericho Ford, where our company lost two more men George Young, heretofore mentioned as the genial, whole- souled companion whose chief delight was in making others happy,