The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1861-12-31
THE FIGHp AT DRAINsv1LBE.

gives the following account OF heavy sklrmlsh
which occurred at Drainsville in the neighborhood
of Centreville, Va, the goth inst.
foraging party was sent out by Gen. Stuart,
consisting of about two hundred wagons, escorted
by the 18th Virginia, Col Garland; the 9th South
Carolina under Lieut. Col. A J. Secrest; the 10th
Alsbama Col. John III. Forney, the 13t Ken
lucky, Col Tom Taylor; the Sumter Flying Artil-
lery, Capt. Cuts and detachments from Ransom's
and Radford's cavalry. Our whole force cunt
ed to nearly twenty five hundred men. They
started of early in the morning, and before day
were some distance on the journey. Soon after
leaving, rocket to shoot up in the
direction of Evansville, which, as was afterwards
ascertaineG, was signal from the enemy, aud
indicated that our approach was known. 1t is
about fifteen miles from here to Drai nsvile.
When within short distance of the place, two
or three regiments of Yankees deployed
skirmishers in the skirts of pine thicket,
which stretched out on either side Of the road.
Gen. Stuart drew up his force and prepared to
make an attack. On either side The woods were
very thick, and it was difficult to make through
them, but our force pushed forward in the
following order: The Eleventh Virginia, being in
the advance, deplOyed the right of the
road with the Tenth Alabama while the Sixth
South Carolina and the First Kentucky were sent
to the left On account Of the dense thckets on
either side, the artillery was forced to advance
down the road in order to gain position to make
the guns effective.
AS we approached the Yankees, the 18th Vir-
ginia charged them with yell, ond drove them
back TO their line within sight of Drainsville.
The enemy seemed somewhat confused, but soon
formed again in line of battle. The advanced
positions were held by the 1lth and 9th South
Carolina the former the right and the latter on
the left of the road. While visiting to get sight
of the enemy the 9th South Carolina was drawn
up, and the lst Kentucky advanced upon them,
and mistaking them for the enemy, portion of
the regiment fired without orders, killing FIVE of
the South Carolinians The error was soon dis
covered, and Col Taylor advanced cautiously to
the left, and soon after came in sight of another
regiment but few yards away. TO be sure there
mistake, Col. Taylor shouted to the Colonel
and asked who he was
g The Colonel of the 9th," was the reply.
"Of what 9th?"
Don't shoot" said the Yankees, we are
friends, South Caro!inians"
"On which side are you?' asked Col. Taylor
I" For the Union" and Immediately after the
Colonel gave the demand to fire, and volley was
poured into the Kentuckians from the 9th Infantry
regulars, U. S. A. The engagement then became
general, and our four regiments with Capt. Cults
four guns, were soon actively engaged. The
Yankees had every advantage Of position There
were several houses along the Leesburg turnpike,
and back of it hill upon which their battery
was placed. Lower down, and opposite the llth,
was another battery placed in position to enflade
the turnpike should We enter it, The main bat
terry of six guns swept the road upon which we
were advancing and kept up an incessant fire of
grape. canister and spherical case The accuracy
of their aim was remarkable considering the
rapidity with which the guns were fred Capt
Cults got three of his pieces in position, and re-
turned the fire rapidly and successfully.
Meanwhile the enemy advanced several reg-
ments of infantry, and protected by the nature of
the ground. came within a hundred wards of US,
and forming in line, fired for some time, keeping
the air full of minnie balls, and finally mpted
to charge. Three times the officers gave the order
and tried to get their men forward but failed
They could not be pushed into the thicket Soon
after this the firing on both sides ceased, but not
before great damage done to our force For
over an hour both sides had kept up an incessant
fire. The wounded and dead lay on every side,
and the regiments we're beginning to get scat
tered
The Confederates approached so near the enemy
that they could plainly hear their commands
To give it little more in detail As our first
advance marching by the flank towards the
Yankee skirmishers, two companies of the 18th
Virginia were thrown out as skirmishers, and sent
forward. Captain Houston's company charged
the Yankees with shout ard drove them in, and
soon after the shout taken up by others, and
all advanced within sight of Drainsvile. Com
pany A, of the llth, deploy.d on the right,
but by some means get lost, and was separated
from the regiment until the fight was over
When the enemy formed in line of battle, Col.
Forney drew the 10th Alabama up also, and pre-
pared to advance upon them The GOODNESS and
daring courage displayed by Col Forney was OBJ
served by everybody. He rode backward and
forward IN front of the line, encouraging his men,
and in getting all prepared for the coming strug-
gle. The same be said of Col Garland
Soon after the firing commenced, COL Fornev
was shot through the right arm, Lieut-Col Martin
was killed, and the command Of the regiment
devolved on Major Woodward, who commanded
on one side the road, and the senior Captain on
the other. This regiment lost more than any
other. The Sumter Artillery was in the road, and
bad three guns in position. Only four pieces
were out, and about sixty Capt Cuts and
his men fought bravely, and suffered severely
The enemy's batteries played upon him for some
time, and killed nearly all his horses, DESTROYED
one timber and exploded caisson. Twenty five
horses we're left upon the field. The guns still
kept firing and did good execution, every shot
scattering the Yankees and telling upon them
seriously. lie succeeded in breaking their line.
and in driving their SHARP shooters from the house
behind which they were hidden. When ordered
to fall back, the pieces were taken to the rear by
hand, with the assistance of the Infantry.
Seeing the wagons safely to the rear, Gen.
Stuart gave orders to fall back TO better position
b. Il II