The eastern clarion. [volume] (Paulding, Miss.) 1837-1863, 1861-10-11

hHNe#" uille resi- ana sleep lot we AAl
not had o good night rest throughout
the whole route. We piled down on
trunks. boxes and blankets. and slept un-
iii daylight Soon ae were interested by
the roar Of cannon. 10 our ears unused
as they were to it- music it was peculiar
ly interesting. Before we could eat a lit
tie breakfast, orders were received from
headquarters to prepare for battle. OF.
course Mississippians could not back out
from the Fight, bat we were in q sad con
dition 70 60 into battle for a whole day.
and that one Of the hottest days in July
About seven o'clock orders came to
march, and having packed away a suit of
clothes, together with a blanket, in our
knapsacks, we started for the "long to be
remembered and never to be forgotten"
battle field Of Manassas Plains. We
marched through clouds Of dust for sever
al miles, and halted on o little eminence
to rest q moment. Cur rest was not long;
but we set out through a dense wood, and
after working our way for a mile through
this, emerged from it and entered field
We drew up our lines behind q skirt Of
woods, in the shade Here the enemy
kept us company by throwing bombs,
slugs, &C., over our heads. They were evil
IDENTIFY aiming at us though they shot too
high. Here we were ordered to leave our
knapsaclIs, and we never saw them again,
When we left here, in company with two
or three Virginia regiments, we went to
another part Of the field where the enemy
we're trying to outAanll our troops and
get to our rear. In the afternoon they
did not care so much about being behind
or in the rear. This point we reached
just in time to save our object. When
we got within mile of where the battle
was raging in all its fury, we commenced
meeting our men retreating, wounded and
dying, their faces blackened with the
smoke of battle Some would say "Huwy
up boys, they need YOU" Others go it.,
they are running like hill" Some told
US that we were getting the worst of it,
This did not suit us exactly 50 we struck
a trot and started down a long hill hal.
lowing all the time ! do not know why
it was but they did not seem to think
they were going into battle at all. 1t
made me think Of accounts Of the Indians
war-whoop. When we reached the foot
Of the hill, we bcheld a long line Of the
enemy drawn up on the next hill, and the
"Slars and Stripes" They opened fire
upon US, and gave us q time, or tried to,
from the way the balls whistled around
usA 1t is needless to dwell. We whipped
t efs Of f i te'f Held f9 T67ssna we first 6eIed
the horrors Of ''weli fought battle. -
The dead were lying in every direction
some mangled, others looked as if they
were not hurt at ALL The field has been
so often described to your readers that it
is perfectly useless for me to reiterate the
description. That night we slept on the
ground and had the heavens for cover
Next day it rained all day, but it could not
keep back our boys from going and get
ting Yankee blankets &c. At night we
slept on little straw thrown on the
muddy ground with wet Yankee blankets
for our covering After sleeping in the
rain all night, we next day moved down
to Stone Bridge, about mile lower down.
Here we remained several days. While
here the measles broke out in their worst
form, and many were taken sick with
them. The typhoid fever followed in
most cases and, unfortunately for those
afflicted with the measles it rained con
tinuously.
From Stone Bridge the regiment went
to Centreville, three or four miles in the
direction Of Fairfax c. II. The measles
were worse here than at the last place.
Men died every day. 1t was no strange
sight to see men digging two graves al the
same time. We buried them by the side
of some of their fellow soldiers who fell in
the Revolution, fighting bravely in de-
fence Of the same cause which we arc en-
deayoring to establish. Their graves could
be distinguished only by some head
stones, put up to distinguish their resting
place. At Centreville, at one time, there
were upwards Of 400 sick, When the
Regiment was ordered to Leesburg, only
% miles distant, there were not more
than 300 able to make the march in two
days.
We are now encamped at Leesburg.-
The 18th, 18th and 18th Mississippi, and |
Sth Virginia Regiment, compose our Bri-
gade. This brings me up to the present
time. | will write again in a few DAYS.
giving a description of the country up
here in Virginia. | would now, but |
have already written too much.
Yours respectfully,
NEwToN RIFLE.
GARLtNbsyutr gept sotb 1874