The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1847-12-08

public Journals, more cioqurntly ana accu-
ratcly described, than my fcblc pen can do.
must however be allowed to say some
thing about the part performed by the Pal
mcuo Regiment, as we'll as the part my
Company performed with that Regiment.
Before proceeding 10 give you an account
Of the last battles :hat has been fought in
the Valley of Mexico and the part performed
by our regiment feel i, my duty, though
painful us it ls,-to inform you that Edward
Watson Is no more. had him dcccntly bur-
led by the side Of 1t Stewart. who died Oh
the 2eth of last month, after protrac,cd
illness of six weeks. Ele died of the same
discase-,hus has fallen two as gallant spi-
rits as had in my Campany.
In turning from this mournful subject,
will not carry you back to the battles of
Cou,reras and Churubusco, but will speak
of the bait of CharuItcpcc and the Gar
ita.
On the 10Th September Volunteer
Storning- Party was called for, from our Re-
g.mcnt TO consist OF seven men. This par
ty was nothing but IL forlorn hope.
whose duty was TO go ahead, plant ladders:
scale Notifications, and drive the enemy from
the cannon. 1t seemed from this duty, that
nothing but inevitable death awaited each
man. Tho Regiment was assembled, and
the call made, and Richard Watson
shouldcrcd his muskct. and was tho first
man to tender his scrviccs,-Elderd Simp-
kins was the next, JAS. A. Norwood Of my
Company was the next, John Patrick also
Of my Company was the fourth, and here
Stan ford Of Columbia came out. Here the
volunteering stopped for some time, until
finally man from Company X came out,
and the others had to BE- detailed felt
proud that my Company furnished three out
OF seven, and more especially when saw
who they were. This party was put under
the command of Capt. Reynolds of the mar
ines with some thirty others. On the
morning Of the glorious yet bloody 18th we
were aroused by the call '.to arms" You
could see written on every mans countcn-
ancc fixed determination, that seemed to
say "Victory Or death )" for every man
knew what had to be done, and that nothing
but unllinching courage could accomplish
| the object. The order for the march was
given at o'clock A. NJ and we took the
road that lead from Tacubaya to the city
this road ran by the pass Of Chapu!tepcc
and here it branchcd, the right to the Carl
ia Bclcn and the left by 81. Cosme within
one hundred yards Of the pass Of Chapulie-
pee was masked battery, which had to be
carried by the storming party, supported by
the Light Battalion and Rifles. When
within three hundred yards of this battery
the enemy opened dreadful fire of grape
and canister upon US both from this fort
and the Castle upon Chapultcpec, saying no.
thing about the balls from ten thousand mus
kets, all of which fell amongst us like a
shower Of hail. Here 1t was that Sergeant
Ma,tison was shot dead by my side, and
1 with him fell one Of the most efficient and
gallant on-commissioned officers in the
Regiment. We received orders in few
minutes to take wall at the foot of Chapul-
tcpec, in rear Of which was stationed some
three thousand Mexicans pouring into our
ranks dreadful fire. We no sooner rcceiv-
ed the order than with shout, we charged
across plain that was intcrsectcd with
some half dozen bitches with from three to
FIVE feet water-this however was no impe
diment, we would plunge into them and
then scramble out on the other side, and so
on until we reached the wall. A great many
ofour regiment was killed and wounded in
this charge, for so thick fell the grape and
canister, that death seemed to await each
man; nothing but the vigorous charge
we made saved us for when we arrived
| H. ho1-