Dear Horace:
The great excitement and confusion of the last 8 days has ceased and quiet once more reigns along our lines, contrasting the present with the past few days, and it is certainly a happy and welcome change to us. I would have written you sooner (knowing the uneasiness you would feel) if I could, but you are aware that during a battle anyone has but little time to write and no opportunity of mailing a letter, consequently you must be thankful that I write even this soon as we have been on picket since yesterday and have not been in camp since we left it on the 29th April. I will give you the particulars as well as I can recollect, of the battles on this end of the line as I expect it will interest you more than anything else I can write.
Just after reville on the 29th April reports were circulated in camp that the Yanks were crossing and that the 13th Georgia then on picket had been firing upon them for 2 hours. It was not credited at first, but soon firing could be heard and in 15 minutes after roll call the orders came to fall in.
Everything was in the greatest confusion and we only took our haversacks, etc., with us, leaving baggage and camp utensils behind. We got to our advance line very soon, the pickets still firing and heavy cannonading from both sides. Ewell's old Division (now early's) took the front along the railroad where we fought before and soon there was two other lines formed in our rear. Thus we remained all day in line of battle as above stated our pickets being at the big road. During that day and the next I never worked harder in my life, every Co. and regiment looking to its own safety beegan strengthening our position by cutting heavy logs and piling them on the railroad, also what crossties and iron we could get, and by nightfall we had made a splendid fortificaiton and believe me there was not a handful of dirt thrown upon the work with hoe or shovel, but with coasts off and sleeves rolled up we pitched in with bayonets, etc., for loosing the dirt, and our hands for throwing it on and you would be surpriseed to look upon the amount of work done and to think that it was done by our hands alone.
On Thursday night troops in our rear began to move up the river and the report was circulated that the enemy was crossing ten miles above Fredericksburg in great force and it was probable the larger battle would be fought there. On next morning we formed ourselves in a line, that in our divisio numbering about 8,500 and Barksdale's Brigade on the heights opposite the city with about 1,000 so about 9,500 or 10 thousand men were left to hold in check a force estimated to be 20,000 but since proven to be nearer 30,000.
During Friday, Saturday and a portion of Sunday we had to work by strategy alone. We would during the day show ourselves on our breastworks from Hamilton's crossing to a good distance beyond the city. At night one half of the forces would slip out and form a second line of battle in the woods and those left in front would stretch out. Details were made to build fires along our lines and holler and hoop and by this means we kept htem off during Friday, Saturday and a portion of Sunday. Well, it was sufficient. Even the noise, without any other show of numbers, seems to have been sufficient. The yells would commence at one end of the line and it would reach the other end and thus we kept at bay such a force for that length of time. The boys did not know what to think of the officers when they were told they were on a hollering detail but appeared to be quite fond of it.
On Saturday evening they recrossed the river and commenced moving up the river and as soon as we got off, that is moving up with them, the buggers slipped back to our old line and crossed again and drove in our pickets. We had to come almost at a double quick to get possession of our entrenches. We got them though, and on Sunday they threw a heavy force against the city. Barksdale's Brigade repulsed three columns and they sent a flag of truce to bury their dead and violated it by running upon the heights and taking possession of them. We lost 4 guns and some few prisoners, they then threw a heavy force across, in fact 3 divisions, and were in full possession of both heights and town.
We massed our troops on the right Sunday night, their calvary scouts in front, and next morning formed a line of battle perpendicular to the fortifications so we could attack them on their flank. Our Brigade was divided into two columns, 26th and two other regiments in front, our gallant Brigadier [John Brown Gordon] , Oh! how we love him, rode in front and told us we had turned the tide of battle before and he was going to storm the heights and did not want us to go anywhere he would not go himself and asked how many would follow him, all those that would must raise their hats.
Every hat was in the air and with a shout we followed him and of all the thick woods, hills and valleys I ever saw, that beats all. For two miles we went and as soon as we commenced storming the heights the Yankees retreated and formed a line of battle so they could flank us, but our General knew his business and after taking possession of the heights, we formed two lines, one to prevent htem from reinforcing through the town, the other to prevent an attack upon those guarding the heights. Heavy skirmishing went on till about 5 o'clock and we could then hear cannonading in the rear and on the flanks of the enemy. Our General sent us word that McLaws division had been sent to help us and that was him fighting them, but we had no time to enjoy the news for we left the entrenchments and formed for the attack.
He rode again in front of us and told us he wanted us to charge some batteries and drive every Yankee into the river. We had to raise our hats again to inform him if we were willing and on we went climbing hills, some 40 to 50 feet high and so steep we hand to climb them on hands and knees. One battery in our rear just across the river, another on our left flank, and two in front all throwing shells and canister. We could not stop at this critical moment for we would have soon been cut to pieces. We charged upon them so near that the batteries up front hitched up and went off in double quick. We had by this time got so close to the enemy that the other batteries could not play upon us without doing damage to their own men.
We halted in the edge of a piece of woods to make some arrangements before charging the infantry. While the skirmishing from both sides kept up a heavy fire doing some damage to the lines of battle in their rear, and just then your humble servant got a small twist, from a Yankee, but not enough to stop. I intended to see it out, root hog or die, and with the aid of my sword limped thrrough it. The arrangements being made, Gordon came against to us and told us he was proud of us and that the troops on our left were thrashing them and he want us to clean the woods of them.
We fixed bayonets and according to his orders commenced yelling for he told us he wanted us to make the welkin ring. We advanced with fixed bayonets and a genuine Georgia hoop which was kept up till nine o'clock and believe me we run the devils out without firing a shot and the most of them did not stop till they were safe on the other side of the river. It is true the skirmishers kept up a brisk fire and in fact they were whipped by a company of skirmishers from each regiment, in all about 80 men (not over a hundred). I declare they never stopped to fight one minute.
We slept in line of battle on the opposite edge of this piece of woods and next morning McLaw's scouts and our met both having driven them in this shameful manner. We could have bagged the whole of them perhaps if we had known that the troops we heard about a half mile from us that night was McLaws and not Yanks. We were certain that it was the enemy and intended to attack in the morning, but behold when morning came the buggers had left.
Shortly after daylight we saw a white flag approaching and 72 of them bluebirds came in and gave themselves up and told us there was any quantity down in the woods near the river and we sent scouts out and soon had over 500 bagged with a number of horses, mules, etc.
Next morning we marched, that is the balance of the brigade, to our old camp although had to do picket duty and thus matters stand.
General G [Gordon] sent word to Col. A [Colonel Atkinson] today that the enemy's loss since the fight commenced, in killed along the Rappahannock, wounded and taken prisoners, is 25,000 of which 9,000 are prisooners, leaving 16,000 killed and wounded. 3 Maj. G. [Major-Generals] are prisoners, 3 others killed, one of which is the notorious Sickles. While there are a great many inferior officers who have shared the same fate. We captured some ambulances and artillery wagons, also artillery and of all the Yankees tricks you ever saw we have them. I will enumerate them as far as I can: shoes, caps, pants, coats, shirts, trousers, socks, blankets, gloves, coffee, sugar, prepared milk, butter, cheese, crackers, bacon, pork, paper, pens, portfolios, envelopes, books both blank and otherwise, likenesses of Yankee gals, Yankee greenbacks and a thousand other things I cannot mention.
The troops around Fredericksburg have been fed for the last day or two with Yankee truck and will be for a day or two to come. Details have been made to go voer the field and gather up provisions. On last night we had more meat than would do us for 5 days and there is over $300.00 worth of paper and envelopes in the company at the price it sells for in the Confederacy. Tell Sis I have got a pair of kid gloves for her if I can get them to here. I have 3 pair.
The casualties in our company are as follows. Pacetty in leg slightly with shell. Morris Breen one finger, J. V. Sikes 2 fingers, and myself I am getting along finely, have not quit the company for it, though it would have been quite series if it had struck me first but hit a tree, glanced off and struck me just about where you were hit. I rolled with it for ahile but when the line was ordered forward I used my sword for a waling stick and limped through it. For 3 days, that is up to last night, I suffered a great deal with it and thought it would rise, but the swelling has gone down and I am nearly as good as ever, but still have a black and blue place on my thigh as large as a cup, another bullet passed through my pants just missed my shins.
But a miss is as good as a mile. Old Frank was just as cool as a cucumber and was one of the principal scouts. Barret, Frank and Jake Sikes had it all to do and I tell you it is no pleasant job to start out in the night and feel for the enemy not knowing when they would be fired upon but [Colonel] Atkinson believes in our company and selected those first and kept them at it afterwards.
Poor old Stonewall is dangerously wounded, one arm cut off and it is thought the other will have to be, also shot through the lungs. Our pickets done it. He rode beyond the lines and in coming up to our lines was fired upon. The whole of his staff was shot down, what a dear victory if he dies. Gen Gordon's brother in an Ala. Reg. was killed Monday night but you will see accounts of it before you get this so I will not write more about it. We are well. Those in fight are Dixon, myself, Rudulph, Brockington, Spears, Pacetty, SIkes, Wilson, Breen, Clarke, D. Gribb and G. Cribb, Cummings. Dart, Holmes, McLemore, J. Martin, Riley, Sikes, J. V. Sloan, Sallins, Thomas and Williams.
I must close as I am already surprised at its length, but as Yankee paper is cheap I do not care much.
May 8 in camp
Yours, etc.
Barney
Note: This letter resides with the Dart Family Papers in the manuscript collection of the Georgia Department of Archives of History. It is also reprinted in its entirety in Alton J. Murray's "South Georgia Rebels," at pages 120-123.
CENTER>Last Updated: February 15, 1997