The Confederate General who met bayonets of enemy with a cane.
.
Major Robert W. Hunter is one of those soldiers of
Virginia and the
Confederacy to whose name may be written ‘from
Manassas to
Appomattox.’
In the first battle he was in the Second Virginia Infantry of the Stonewall Brigade, and in the closing scene at
Appomattox was on the staff of
Major-General John B. Gordon, of
Georgia, who afterwards became the successor of
Jackson,
Ewell and
Early as commander of the Second Corps.
He was in
Jackson's and in Early's Valley campaigns alike, and in all the great battles in which the famous Second Corps participated.
Did he write his reminiscences, as it is hoped he may, there is no man living who could relate more of the vivid scenes of the wondrous story of the Army of Northern Virginia.
Enclosed is an account taken from his lips of the
Bloody Angle of
Spotsylvania, on the 12th of May.
It is a finality on the question which sometimes has been raised by the uninformed with respect to
Major-General Edward Johnson.
So far from being surprised, he was most diligent and active to prevent the catastrophe which resulted, and his report shows it; but I will not anticipate
Major Hunter's story.
He became adjutant-general of
Johnson's division shortly after the
battle of Gettysburg, where
Major Benjamin Watkins Leigh, his predecessor, was killed.
Gallantly did he serve throughout the war, and on that terrific day at
Spotsylvania, which he graphically recounts,
Major-General Edward Johnson (‘Old Alleghany,’ as the soldiers called him, on account of his sturdy fighting on Alleghany mountain), has never received the notice to which his long, arduous and great services and his notable feats of arms entitled him.
His
adjutant-general,
Major Hunter, who is as accomplished with
[
336]
the pen, as with the sword, has done much to pluck from the wave of oblivion the names and deeds of some of our bravest and best.
It is hoped that he will give to history an account of his chief which will do justice to one who was not only a fine commander of many exploits, but is also a modest gentleman.
Early's old division and
Johnson's also were changed after the battles of the
Wilderness, on the 5th and 6th of May.
On the 8th of May,
A. P. Hill being sick,
Major-General Early was put in command of his corps.
General Stafford, of
Louisiana, having been killed, the two
Louisiana brigades of
Hays and
Stafford, both of which were small, were consolidated under
General Harry T. Hays.
He was wounded on May 10th, and they were now at
Spotsylvania, under
Colonel Zebulon York.
R. D. Johnson's North Carolina brigade had been assigned to
Early's division, and on May 6th and on the 12th of May the two divisions of
Early and
Johnson were composed as follows:
（1)
Early's old division, under
Gordon, consisted of
Pegram's Virginia brigade of five regiments, under
Colonel J. S. Hoffman;
Gordon's Georgia brigade of six regiments, under
Colonel C. A. Evans, and the North Carolina brigade of four regiments, under
Brigadier-General R. D. Johnson; in all, fifteen regiments.
（2)
Major-General Edward Johnson's division consisted of
Brigadier-General Geo. H. Steuart's brigade of two
North Carolina and three
Virginia regiments;
John M. Jones' old brigade (general having been killed May 5th), under
Colonel V. A. Witcher, which consisted of six
Virginia regiments, and also of
Brigadier-General Harry T. Hays' consolidated brigade of ten regiments, under
Colonel York, and the old Stonewall brigade of five
Virginia regiments, under
Brigadier-General James A. Walker; in all, twenty-six regiments, many of which were remnants.
On the night of May 11th, 1864,
Major-General Edward Johnson sent me back of his line of
battle at Spotsylvania to
Lieutenant-General Ewell to tell him he was sure that the enemy would attack his division next morning, the 12th; that they were massed in his front, and that there was every manifestation of intended assault;
[
337]
also, that the position could not be held without the artillery, which had been moving off. I rode to
General Ewell and gave him the message.
General Ewell said that ‘
General Lee had positive information that the enemy was moving to turn his right flank, and had been so informed by the most reliable scouts, and that it was necessary for the artillery to move accordingly.’
I rode back to
General Johnson, who was at the
McCool House.
He was lying down in the house.
I told him I could not impress
General Ewell with his views, and that he had better go and see him in person.
General Johnson arose and said: ‘I will go at once,’ and mounting his horse, he and I rode to
General Ewell, who was in another house not far off, lying down, and apparently very uneasy.
He got up and told
General Johnson that he had told me as to
General Lee's information, but was soon convinced by
General Johnson that the assault would be made.
Colonel William Terry, of the Fourth Virginia Infantry, Stonewall brigade, who had charge of the front line, had told
General Johnson of his observations, and had been so close to the enemy that he could hear their talk as they massed together.
General Ewell then sent orders for the artillery to be returned to our front, close up, and
General Johnson, on his return to the
McCool House, instructed me to issue a circular of warning and direction.
Circular order of precaution.
I at once drew up a note for each brigade commander to sign and rode with it to each one of them in person, viz: to
Brigadier General J. A. Walker,
Brigadier General George H. Steuart,
Col. V. A. Witcher, and
Colonel Zebulon York.
Each one did sign it in acknowedgement of receipt, and it enjoined the orders it contained.
The circular stated that all the indications pointed to an assault on our lines at daylight; that the artillery had been ordered to return, and that every brigade should be provided with ample ammunition, and be prepared to repel the enemy.
It wound up with expressing the admonition to the utmost diligence in being ready.
On the qui vive before daybreak.
Returning from this visit to the brigade commanders, I laid down on the floor of the
McCool house, in the same room with
General Johnson and our division staff—all of us in our clothes—ready to leap to horse at a moment's notice.
In the dark,
[
338]
just before dawn, couriers came in from the Stonewall Brigade and others, stating that the enemy were stirring.
We rose, and mounted our horses, and before dawn
General Johnson and his attendants were out on the lines.
General Johnson,
Major Kyd Douglas,
Capt. V. Dabney,
Major E. L. Moore and myself.
The men were roused in the trenches, and before day the whole division was on the qui vive.
The fog was so dense we could not see in any direction, but soon we could hear the commands of officers to the men, and the buzz and hum of moving troops.
The pickets had been driven in, with occasional shots here and there, and there was instant expectation of a coming assault.
The first thing we saw was a mass of men—indistinctly visible through the fog—moving in front of our position.
Our left was the Stonewall Brigade, under
General J. A. Walker.
Then came the Louisianians of
Hays and
Stafford's brigades under
Colonel Zebulon York; then
John M. Jones' old brigade under
Colonel V. A. Witcher, and then the right under
Brigadier General George H. Steuart.
The massing men were in front of
York and
Witcher.
General Johnson ordered me to tell
Steuart to press on to his left close to
Witcher, and then to hurry up the artillery.
I ran on foot rapidly, called for
General Steuart, and not finding him instantly, I myself gave the officers and troops directions to close to the left.
It was then that I saw our artillery coming in position, and the fire broke out with a rush of the enemy upon our ranks.
The artillery I met was the battery of
Captain William P. Carter, brother of
Colonel Thomas H. Carter, the battalion commander.
Two guns of this battery fired before the enemy ran over them.
Fighting with his cane.
The storm had burst upon us. I could see
General Johnson with his cane striking at the enemy as they leaped over ths works, and a sputtering fire swept up and down our line, many guns being damp.
I found myself (as I had my sword out waiving to
General George H. Stuart to crowd in toward the left) in the midst of foes, who were rushing around me, with confusion and a general melee in full blast.
I also saw
General Johnson with his cane striking in the crowd and warding bayonets.
Having on a black rain overcoat, which had been picked up on a battlefield, I showed no official mark or uniform to distinguish who or what I was.
[
339]
A dozen Yankees could have caught me, for they were on all sides.
I ran about amongst then until I came upon an artillery horse of
Carter's battery, jumped on him, and sinking in my spurs, galloped to the rear, with bullets buzzing around me. As I galloped away in this fashion, the
Yankees sent shots after me, but I escaped unhurt.
Many of our men were now running back, and the line was breaking.
Lee riding to the front.
As I was thus getting away, and I had not gone but a few hundred yards to the rear, when the first man I met facing toward our lines was
General R. E. Lee.
He was mounted on Traveller, and with his hat off was endeavoring to halt the retreating men. I saw in a moment that
General Lee did not know the extent of the trouble in front, and hailed him with the exclamation: ‘General, the line is broken at the angle in
General Johnson's front.’
His countenanee instantly changed, and he said: ‘Ride with me to
General Gordon’ (
General Gordon was in charge of
Early's division in reserve,
General Early being in command of
A. P. Hills, the Third Corps). I rode with
General Lee about two hundred yards or more to our left rear, as we faced the enemy, and quickly came upon
Pegrams's brigade (which was under
Colonel J. S. Hoffman), and which had
Gordon's old brigade, under
Colonel C. A. Evans, on our left.
We soon found
General Gordon, who was forming his men, with a skirmish line in front, and the regiments were aligning behind them.
General Lee met
Gordon in front of
Pegram's brigade, and then there was the scene of ‘
Lee to the rear,’ which has been so often described,
Gordon exhorting and the men clamoring for
General Lee to go back.
As
Lee retired through
Gordon's line
Pegram's Virginia brigade, and both that brigade and
Evan's also moved forward.
General Lee then said to me: ‘
Major Hunter, collect together the men of
Johnson's division and report to
General Gordon.’
I immediately called for
Johnson's men who were scattered about the valley,
Captain Virginius Dabney, of
General Johnson's Staff, assisting me. I saw
Captain Harman, of the Second Virginia Infantry, and other officers, who actively exerted themselves to get the men
[
340]
who had escaped capture to form in line.
In half an hour we had succeeded in getting together some three or four hundred men, with officers here and there of various ranks.
There were ten (10)
Louisiana regiments (fragments), two (2)
North Carolina and eight (8)
Virginia regiments in
Johnson's division, and the remnants of these, which had not been captured, were intermingled together when reformed.
They made a pretty good regiment ready for battle.
I took command of them and marched them forward to
General Gordon's assistance, reporting to him for duty.
