The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1847-05-05
REPORI'.

REPORT.
BACK OF VERA Cruz, March Id, l847.
General-The material facts connected
with the silrmlsh on the sand hill on the
lth, so far as the Palmetto Regiment was
a party, are:
Under your instructions TO occupy the brow
of the hill, nearing the enemy on the oppo-
site hill, Company A, Captain Sumter. was
detached from the right Of the Regiment
was joined soon after by company from
the Georgia Regiment, (Capt. Davis,) and
both placed under the immediate command
of Lieutenant Colonel Dickinson, of the
South Carolina Volunteers
Soon after, three other companies, viz:
Company G, Captain Maffat; Company L,
Captain Marshall and Campany |, Capt.
Secrest, moved still 10 the right, more
around the hill, under the command of
Major A. Fl. GLADDEN..
| A brisk and united fire was kept up bv
! lS-poundcrs from the city, she'll from the
castle, and musketry from the infantry and
cavalry on the hill; by the latter but little
effect or damage, from the distance from
which they fired.
During the slsirmish, Lieut.. Col Dick
inson, with his known ardor and gallantry,
while conducting his command, received u
! musket ball in his right breast, which, l am
pleased to learn from the medical officer. is
not serious. Prvatcs Cohcr and Ballard,
Of Captain Sumter's company, received
wounds: the first in the thigh, the latter in
the arm, though shattering some of the
bones, yet not regarded dangerous Pri-
vate Phillips, Of Capt. Kennedy's company,
received wound in the arm. One other,
Private Hickey, Of Captain DeSaussure's
company, was ;Hmbled over by cannon
! ball, mashing his canteen, without doing
other in Jury.
All were equally expose to the fire from
the city and Castle, but Lieut. Col Dick
inson's command more SO, from his being
farther to the right. All behaved with a
GOODNESS not to be expected among volun-
teers
Your orders were executed by all with
propriety and good order
Respectfully submitted,
p. Nj. BUTLER.
Comd'g S. G.. V.
Gen. J. A. QU1rMAN, Comd'g. Brigade.
| Dear -, The within is the sub
stance Of the report-t was intended to be
modest-all did behave very we'll the
affair tested our boys-the cannon and
bombs were most alarming, and fell very
thick and close to our companies-in two
instances, in two and four feet of Captains
! Marshall, Mofatt, and Walkers companies.
The muskets were still more numerous and
close to us all-but principally spent balls
one struck the Colonel's neck, which, he
says, was like a sharp cut from a whip.
One very pretty incident Capt. Sum
ter's company had been on guard all night,
and without crop of water-the others had
| their canteens fillcd-Capt, DeSaussure's
company was order to go and relieve Capt.
Sumter's, and they TO retire and get water.
This youthful Captain formed and moved
off his company amidst fires from three
points, in beautiful order, and with great
coolness and propriety. Truly.
The London Times, in the course of an
article on the Irish famine and its conse-
quences, thus sets forth the worst of it's re-
| suits -
| "The gloom of the winter has passed
away, winter that will never be forgotten
by this generation The season has come
when not only the herb of the field should
shoot forth and the tree should blossom, but the
hopes of men also bring forth their fruits.
But in Ireland alas the voice of nature
strikes upon listlcss ears and sluggish
hearts. In vain has spring returned to
men of idle hanbs and nerveless purpose.
In vain has the iron tongue of experience
spoken its warning to men who hug their
indolent misery as treasure, far more pre-
cious than the wages of unaided industry.
They have tasted Of public money, and they
find it pleasanter to live on aims than on la
Dor. The alternative raises no feelings of
shame or self abasement. Deep, indeed,
has the canker eaten. Not into the core of
precarious and suspected root-but into
the very hearts of the people, corrupting
them with fatal lethargy, and debasing
them by fatuous dependence Not the sub
sistence of the year alone-but the hope Of