The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1856-09-18

"""u WIS gwen 10 form on tilo opposite
side of tho road and give battle, when n
volley was fired on both sides, and TIrUs
commanded his men to charge. For fully
quarter of mile up the road, sheets of
flame burst out from both sides, the balls
whistled around them thick as hail. One
man (SrsrERRE, of Ga.) had his horse shot
from under him. He ran to n cornfeld
and succeeded in making his escape, though
they pursued hotly, and sent volcy like
hail after him. ANDREW PREsroN, of Va,
had Sharp's Rifle ball through the flcshy
part of his leg. WIMpERLEY, of Ala, had
his knuckles skinned. CLOVES, of Va.,
was on slow jade, and being far in the
rear, was surrounded and taken prisoner.
Ono of the enemy was killed dead and sew
eral wounded.
The party reached Col. TlrUs' house at
about three o'clock, and fastened immcdi-
ately to town to alarm tho citizeus was
on picket duty the whole night, and when
the party left for town, cnlreated the Co
lionel to march all his foot (some Is men
who stood guard at his house, back into
town, and to stay there. lie said no, that
he should defend that position as long as
he could, and thus save the town. It so
turned out, but regarded it as an unncccs-
sary sacrifice Of our brave fellows, another
battle of the Alamo. The foot company
at TlTCs' were all Dutch, under the COM
mand Of Col. DONALDSON, and rs they all
got tight, and did nothing but shoot at my
picket all night, l begged the Colonel to go
to town and let the Dutch 60 where they
pleased. At daylight, Tlrus and six men
returned to his house, and giving up all idea
of danger, went to sleep. In an hour more
the enemy were upon them. and the rattle
Of small arms awo]Ze them to find the
slopes around covered with men. Three
pntchmcn and young man by tho name
OF Owens were at the tents, about two
hundred yards from the house, and in the
woods. One of the Dutch was shot
through the head in trying to reach the
house, and the other two were take prison.
ers. They escaped at the end Of the battle.
OWENS escaped. Of the ls men in the
house, ten were Dutch, and they immeli-
ately got under beds and under the floor.
Their constant cry with tears i'll their eyes.
was, Hang out! hang out" meaning
hang out the white flag" What mis-
take
At the first fire, TITUS killed Captain
SuoMpRAy, and WIMDERLEY unhorsed all
other. lie was wounded in the side, and
is supposed to bc dead. TITus and WIN.
DERLEY continued to fire from the upstairs,
until TIrrs was wounded in the right hand
and shoulder. They fought downstairs af-
ter that. For two hours the enemy poured
an incessant shower of bullets into the
doomed house from every quarter. They
got into the barn and stables, and thus fired
from n distance of twenty steps. a six
pounlcr was placed hundred and fifty
yards off, and sent balls and grape shot
crashing through the building. Some Of
the men begged to he allowed to surrender
but WIMnERLEy insisted on holding out
longer. a cannon ball struck beam be-
hind WIMDERLEY and knocked him down.
The same load contained grape shot. a
handful of which lodg in the thigh of
NJ. M. 1IoLsEY, of Ga. 1t was the deter
mination to hold out to the last, but the
order was given to roll load of hay up
and set the house on fire. The white flag
was hung out, and the savages rushed up
and commenced the work of plumber
They first asked for Mrs. TIrUs, but that
lady had luckily gone to Westport about
half an hour before the battle, in the stage
under feigned name.
Insult and abuse was heapcd upon the
prisoners, and one Of the enemy actually
had his arm shot off under the impression
that he was a prisoner! Provisions, horses
arms, ammunition, tents and everything about
the house, even Mrs. TITUS dresses were
taken off. The boys WHO were boarding
with T1TUs lost everything.
The officers compimented TITUs and his
men very highly, and treated them with
the most humane consideration and respect'
while the men acted like wild beasts.
The enemy would have marched imlne-
diately upon the town, rs it was their ori-
ginal intention to do, but a timely shower
Of rain saved us. We had about so men,
at least fifty Of whom slipped off. in various
directions, about twenty rounds Of amuni-
ton, and no defense but two log houses
on the river. We certainly would have
lost the town, but could not have been
taken.
The enemy continued to threaten lis for
nearly week. In the mean time an ex-
change of prisoners was effected, we deliv-
ering up six, who had been concerned in