The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-08-08
Correspondence Of the Richmond Dispatch.
Fourth South Carolina Regiment.
CIsP PRrrus, miles North Of
Mapaxrss AnC 1851.

m6naSSas, mug y, AQUA
IL reading the letters OF you, Numerous 70;
CORES pondents with regard TO the late pay
tie at Stene Bridge, l SEQ they nearly al o.
lude to par rite ular regiments, and tho Promi'
nent parts enacted by each OF them IN acnleN
ing that great victory. Though nave pee,
glad to see the gallant and prowsss OF eaen
regiment and legion thus chronicied TO the
world, l have been surprised TO see tnat TIE
very first regiment and battalion Whlcn WeIs
engaged in that conflict, and WGo sustaiieu
the whole shock Of the enemy, uhSuppof teu
for tw O hours, have been scarcely Inehtoheo
At all. allude to the Fourth South aaron
M Regiment, under Col. J. u. + Sloan, aad
the louisiana Regiment, under MaJ, VIM,
AS am q member of the {" Fourth, speak
of what know. Our regiment, with IhaJoi
Wheat's command, and TWO SIX pouh0els CT
Latham's Artillery, had been encaIn pea t9r
four or five days previous 10 the oaIIie, WIN
in = few hundred yaIds Of the Some Bridge,
waiting and watching for The enemy 3 lore
daylight on Sunday morning, list, we were
arou sed by the firing of our picxets. Being
formed in line OF battle, our regiment oy sun
rise was lying uponth ground Directly IN Iront
of the brio ge and covered by the brow OK the
sharp hill 10 the left of the road Soon after
sunrise, the long straight turnpike upon Inc
oppos; te side OF the Kan was hlied Win inc
coin INNS of the enemy as far as the eye could
reach They came within f Te hundred yards
of us threw cut their skin misheTs. and open
ed a bttteTy upon us, feeling With bail and
shell around aid over the hull to find onr Pc
Slf
other firing except bet.veen cur skirmishera
SEA tuoee # ihe enemy, until about eight
O'CLOCK, under the Immediate supervision CT
Gen Eyans, whose headG uartars Were within
one hundred YARDS OF our position.
about clock we received g message
that the enemy had crossed the kun in large
force about three miles above, and were
marching down to flank US on our left. With
drawing without the knowledge of the army
in our front, and which was com posed Of sight
to- m n a
quick to meet the column which had crossed
above. After accomplishing mile or more,
we came in sight Of their long line OF bayonets,
glistening in the morning sun. Hating, we
formed IN q small hollow or rHvine, with Maj
Wheat's battalion on our right and little ad-
yaLced from our position. Tbs enemy formed
on commanding hill, four or i've hundred
wards in front, and opened upon US with a
heavy fire OF mCsketry, and grape-shot from
the Rhode Island Battery. Both the Louisi-
auians and our regiment returned the fire
With spirit, aud several of our men were
killed and wounded thus early il the day, OF
before O'Clock.
soon afterwards, we received an order &c
form under cover Of Il wood to our right, nd
some what nearer the enemy. Here we re
manned for some time. il the edge nearest the
enemy, keeping up cur fire, and having many
OF our men killed and wounded. The first re
Enforcement Of which we were aware joined
US here, and arrived at qt or 10 O'Clock. L
proved to be the 4Jh Alabama Regiment ano
some other companies, under command OF ths
iamented Col. Bee.
With this noble regiment, which has beer
deservedly spoken o. for its sallantry, we
retired when the fire became TOO hot TO b
vithstood We. however, soon rallied, anC
returned to the fight, remaining in 1t through
out the day. A large portion of our regimen
were in the first charge made upon Sherman
Battery and many eye witnesses Will ayOv
that the regimentai nag, presented To usa 1eV
weeks ago by the patrictI2 ladies or Leesburg
was the very first p,anted upon one OF thos'
guns. II was done by Major Robert ia x
well cur gallant color bearer. These pieces
were | believe, taken several timas before w
finally succeeded in holding them. This muci
[ have thought should BE said, ia justic L
the 4tb Regiment and the Louisiana ba.tal
ion, without in the least intending 20 detrac
from any other command. Where all did no
DIV, comparson wuuld be odious. Itistol
VIII, however, record that we were frs
in the fray, and, with about l,0l0 men, Is
four Of cur companies remained at the bridg
as skrInshers and a reserve kept s., 900 OF tn
enemy in check for one and half or tw'
hCuTe.
Atier the day was ouTs and victory ha,
perched upon the new born banners OF TIL
South, our regiment returned to its forme
canning ground now portion of the battle
field and, Tor the first time that Day, partoci
eff soldiers meal Our tents and bianket
had also cecn sent of, and, without either
we were exposed that night 10 Il drenchiui
rain, ca ching what We could OF sleep, an'
dreaming Of the thrilling incidents Of the de y
The loss Of our regiment in KILLED and wounded
was loo men, out of 100 fl for duty. Aruoni
the gallant dead was our AdJntant GeneI al
Sam. Wilks. of Anderson, South Carolina. -
Our army boasts no more chlEalric ana &C
conpIished gentleman. Himself and hors
fell within fifty yards OF our encampment
pierced by more than dozsn bullet.