Sunday's fight near Richmond.
To the Editors of the Dispatch:I have seen so frequently in your columns, as in those of all your contemporaries, a confused and most inaccurate account of the fight on Sunday, that justice to the brave men who really made the fight compels me to furnish an accurate statement.
Although to some extent a participant, I may safely say that few men on the ground had half so good an opportunity of observing the entire field. Early in the morning of Sunday the brigades of Generals Wilcox, Pryor, Pickett, Mahone, and Armistead, took position near the old camps of the enemy, which had been so splendidly won the day before. So far as I know no attack was contemplated, and for some hours no enemy appeared. Many of the men strayed unrebuked through the Yankee camps, helping themselves, others scattered in the abattis, lately the scene of such terrible conflict, bringing in Yankees who concealed themselves there when their comrades were beaten off.
On there men, thus scattered, a heavy but harmless fire was opened with musketry by the enemy, from the woods some three hundred yards to our front. The men immediately ran to their colors, and the whole line advanced. A very prevalent impression existed along the line at the time that we had friends in front who had advanced and drawn the enemy's fire.
On the left, where Mahone's and Armistead's commands were, this impression was so far confirmed, after an advance of a few hundred yards, that the men were halted and brought to an order arms. They were immediately greeted with a tremendous and most destructive fire at very short range from a concealed foe. Some confusion resulted. These brigades fell back to the point from which they started to re-form, which they subsequently did in good order. Pryor's brigade, the next on their right, being without support on its left flank was immediately withdrawn by order of General Hill. It was moving forward in good order all the time. Pickett's, the next brigade, received no such order, and kept on pushing its way forward, and really driving the enemy, until it was borne through the enemy's line, and so flanked by its own impetuous move. It halted to hold its position and protect its own flanks, until the continuity of the line was restored. And just there the re- and only fight worthy the name was done. Over and again this brave brigade struck at the overpowering foe, right, left, and front, with the bayonet.--Every time, the enemy broke. And thus it preserved its ground for hours, never yielding an inch until Mahone's and part of Colston's brigades came up to cover its flanks. By the time this was done — and it was well and gallantly done, without much fighting — the battle was over, the enemy whipped and silent. Never an inch of ground did the brave 3d brigade of Longstreet's old division give up, and its fearful list of casualties tells what it cost them to maintain their unsullied repute.
A Witness.
P. S.--In mentioning the regiments of the brigade, yesterday, you omitted the one which suffered, perhaps, most, and is and will be, while a squad is left, one of its most distinguished — the 8th, of Leesburg memory.
