Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 26.djvu/250

 240 Southern Historical Society Papers.

" At 1:30 o'clock I saw General Hatch speak to Colonel Bennett, chief of staff* who at once rode to me and said, ' Follow me.' I re- plied, ' I would like a moment to close up my men, Colonel,' when he said, in a most excited manner, ' General Hatch's orders are for you to follow me.' Well, after Bennett's remark I had only to fol- low, which I did. Arriving near the section of artillery, he said, 'Go to the rear of that battery, file to the left and charge!' I obeyed orders all but the charging! On the right of the battery I looked around and found Lieutenant Reid and eight men. How the cannon shot tore down that hill and up that road. I could see where the 55th had charged and the dead lying there. ' Wagner ' always seemed to me the most terrible of our battles, but the mus- ketry at Honey Hill! (' Georgians,' under Willis, Edwards, Wilson, Cook and Jackson, and '3d South Carolina cavalry,' as infantry, under Major John Jenkins responsible), was something fearful. The rebel yell was more prominent (artillery, cavalry and infantry, all re- sponsible) than ever I heard it! "

"GOOD MANAGEMENT OF THE ENEMY."

" It is only fair to say that the Confederate management seems to have been excellent from first to last. The energy which brought a force from Western Georgia to the coast of Carolina so opportunely that it got in position only ten minutes before the main action opened, the audacity and adroitness which checked the advance of a whole brigade for several hours with one (2) gun and a few dis- mounted cavalry, and the soldierly ability with which artillery and infantry were so handled, as to inflict a loss of 750 men, while losing only 50, all deserve the highest praise; on their side good general- ship, on ours the reverse."

On the day of Honey Hill the disastrous Battle of " Franklin " was fought; then quickly followed the burning of Atlanta, the fall of Savannah, the burning of Columbia, Averysboro, Bentonville and the surrenders at Goldsboro and Appomattox! The Confederate armies! how memory goes back to their wonderful achievements! Their high soldierly qualities! Their whole career, marked by a virile spirit; a decisive energy; a brave persistence; a patient endur- ance, which reflect the high military qualities of the men of the same race, "kin beyond sea," who won victory for Wolfe at Quebec! Made Ingliss hold Lucknow against fearful odds! and who planted the Cross of St. George on the walls of Delhi, in the midst of the mutiny! If a like success did not attend finally the grand achieve-