The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1859-07-07

ment Ferguson rushed in front Of his men,
setting with bare head on his horse. his
har streaming in tho wind, and his coun.
t"nance bloated with rage, rs he turned in
his saddle towards his men, who now besi
tated to advance. just then, Williams
horse. wounded aud snostnp, with foam
AMI blood at every bound dashed for.
ward. Ferguson turned to receive him /;
'he'r swords crossed, nothing moro, for at
that instant deadly volIey came from both
sides, and the two cor, batents fell nc ortnll y
wounded. Al tile same moment the ene.
my broke ground and fed up the moanta:n,
the A'ne'iess.s rashiug after them with {.
Eea OF concentrated rage. Col. Hammcnd
oisTnounted ard i,asteucd te the side Of his
wounded friend, receiret" his comran,]s
(nevcr togive up the lills aud faroweil then
! gave orders for his cafe aud c.,..efSl sem oval
to tho cot i'll the valley below, and stol,,sing
just long enough TO see him of, FASTENED
after his men. AS he passed where Fer
! guson tell, hc saw that lie was not dead :.
, and stopping down. took him gently under
the arms and rased hin, to u sitting pos
ture. placing his back agaiu,: tree, by the
side Of which he had fallen, received the
dying mans thanks for his attention. and
fastened forward after the flying enemy.
| The conflict was soon terminated and re-
tuninG down tho mountain on his way
with tho glorious intelligence to Williams,
Col. Hammo:li passed where Ferguson
hat. beru left and found him fallen over
! on his face, and dcaG. Ehe ball that rob
bed him Of life had entered tho breast, d.
rsc,ly Oh tho .,oJsias line. ;,as>ing entirely
through the hoIy. On resc',i;g tie ham.
let where Williams lay. Col. II. cowna him
unable to speak, but conscious, auh told
him the battle was over aud the victory
| won-saw his dying smile, received the
pleasure Of his icy han.l, and then depart.
! Ell. Soon thereafter tho gallant spirit quit
tosover the fields Of carnage and blood bc 70
low, for realms Of peace and life abnvc.-
! The American arms had leen successful,
slorously successful. but i, had Gust ano,h.
cr Joshua in the fight" Tho bravo VIII
iiams was gone! He Was not brilliant. hut
! good, and firm and truc Whenever, and
rs often rs lie took a measure in hand, his
iron will and ncrvo allowed no relinq uisl,.
| meut until accom- .lshcd Such was the
| christian soldier snd patriot. whose homes
yet remain unmarked by single stone.
| Col. Hammond tells US that ia IL, lis affair
| he had H n,sn who had fought with him in
many battle, and, until this occasion,
| proved as true 40 steel here, however, he
failed. The night preceding tue battle, he
had presentiment tha; it he went into ac-
tion on this day he would be killed. Con.
scquent!v, when at.eally da~u The roll lis,
WAS called, he was no, present 10 answer to
his name. Col. Hammond dispatched an
Orderly after him, who found him in his
tent covered up, head and cars, with his
blanket. When ordered up and made to
walk out he shook and shiyered as though
hs had an agne. fit upon him; told the Or
derly his dream. declaring that if forced in
to l.a!tle that he would not return alive,
and begged permission to remain.
To this, however, the Orderly paid no at
tention, and forced him to his place in the
ranks. The roll was again commenced
but on reaching bis name it was not re
sponded to-he was gone. Again he was
sent for, and, AS hefore, found covered up
in his tent. LIo was brought out and com
PEELED to stand his ground. In few mo
nen,s after he reached the ranks, the line
moved up tho mountain. aud the firing
commenced, after which no further notice
waa taken Of him.
After the action, he WAS found stretched
Mt full length behind a stump. dead. Col.
Ii. says there was no doubt that he had
sought shelter behind this stump at the &C
lion, and that when the firing began 10 lie
hriik, his curiosity became too strong for
his prudence, and overcoming to some ex
tent tho fear that controlled him, raised his
bead above the level Of the stump to sec
What WAS going on, and thus received tho
stray ball as it came directly in his forehead
killing him instantly whcro he lay. The
circumstances in connection justify tho con
cluson. Col. Hammond SAYS if he had
been apprised Of tho facts in the case ho
would certainly not have allowed him to
60 into battle, but knowing nothing Of the
state Of his mind, he thought lie was labor
Ing under the influence Of cowardice, and
{ was ut that moment unwilling to tolerate
anything Of the kind Gurleston Courier
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