The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-08-02

hICHMotD, VA July %osns IOWA
To the Editors Of the Dispdtch Among
the m any incidents Of the battle Of Manassas
which have been reported in the city press
since the fiaht, there was ono Important fHot
which should not he passed over In silence,
ana I am surprised that 1t has not before this
time been mentioned, viz: the share which
two Sou tn Carolina regiments had In the
affair. ,.
These regiments (the ID south Carolina,
Col Ksrshaw, and the ID south carolina,
Col. Dash, J reache the scene OF action ABOUT
/! O'Clock p NJ. Just before they caught
sight Of the enemy, they were met oy AZ ieaSt
fifteen hundred of our ren-many OF tnem
mountaineering away from the ned OF oat.
tie. who told them "ths day was lost! tnat
eve could do nothing with the enemy, for
their artillery was TOO strong lot US una'
"Col. Hampton and all his officers were kliIea,
and the enemy were driving oar forces
back This was the tenor OF the
inform alton received by these two Palmetto
regiments, who had already gone over -FOUR
miles Of hiliy and broken ground n the
doubls-quick step, and were, OF course, In no
plight to plunge into contest with twenty
timss their force, probably flushed with the
prospect Of victory, and excited 70 madness Dy
the contest But, the gallant falmettos, Al
though believing they were marching on 10
certain destruc tion-upOA q worse than Tor
lorn hope-nsvsr faltsrsd a moment, except to
ina uirs the nearest way to the scene OF com
bat. and hurried on. They soon heard sharp
volsy from a wood in front, and the balls
vhi.tlsd through their ranks, cutting down
many Of their number, while the air overhead
was alive with tho hoarse scream OF smells
and the hun Of cannon shot, as they crashed
through the branches around.
Charging through the wood, they came In
sight OF the snemy-the N. Y. Fire Zouaves
and tho Ohasseurs-and with cheer that
WAS heard above the din OF battle, rusnso
upon the foe, firing they went The enc
my i'm mediately broke and hed across neios,
fences and bitches for about 4 milo but nvs
or six regiments OF tn en- rallied on hl8n
hill opposite. The Palmettos made at them,
was given we could not at first Gee, Tor our
ranks were being rapidly thinnsh ny tho iong-
range Minrie and Maynard guns OF mo an
KEGS Blu. while asking each other what IL
meant, " heard the clear voice OF Col. her-
shaw riuk ing over the field, Boys lie dewn
We Immediately foil upon orr faces,
pieces Of Ksmper'. Ale1andria BatteryD
SO II death and dosolAtion among the well
drawn up lin, OF the foo on the opposite hlil'
while our men picked OF the officers or indi-
vidnais occupying prominent piaess ainons
rhoIn. They began 10 waver, and Few mole
shots from Kempsr and = vcliey or two De-
tween tho pauses of the artillery from the
deadly Mississippi rifles of the Palnstto boys
com plsted The re ct, and the enemy Ned In con-
tueion. Their own artillery (aix splendid ri
Ned pieces Of Grirsns Battery was turned
upon them, and lent additional terror to their
filsht But tho fact to which l referred In the
beginning OF this slight outline was this
These t,p0 South Carolina regtnsnts, together
with gtmper'S Battery and detachment Of
the "a Block Horse CasaIry, pursued the enc
nv for six miles beyond the field Of battle and
captured over twenty pisces of artillery, be-
sides arms and stores innumsrao'e, which
otherwise would have been carried of,
PALMETTO.