Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1861-08-02
HAMProN's LEGION IN THE FIGHT.

the heroic conduct Of IIampton's Legion in the
great battle of Sunday, from tho Richmond
Examiner of Thursday. The statements is
made by an officer who was in the thickest'of
the fight:
'rhe infantry companies Of the Legion joined
the line Of battle about o'clock in the MORN
mig, having marched seven miles, after hastily.
snatched breakfast, to take their part in the
general action. In u few moments after the
line was formed. Colonel johnson fell by shot
from the battery. He was instantly killed, the
ball striking and tearing away the upper
portion of his head. Colonel Hampton HIM
SELF assisted Ivy Surgeon Darby and Adjutant
Barker, bore the body from the field.
| = AT this instant the men, missing for mo
ment the presence Of their commander, cried
out we have no commander Capt. Carey.
who was commanding the left wing, suddenly
called out, Follow me. Hampton Guards, fol-
low to victory !" Tie effect of thc-tones of the
command was instant The noble and gallant
Edgefield company made rushing charge to-
wards the enemy, in advance Of the Legion
nearly throe hundred yards. and 40 far on tho
left flank that for moment they were under
the fire Of the Washington Artillery. The
Guards advanced to within 100 or l2O PAGES of
the enerny.sUnnblcd to maintain their 20 sition,
they retired, falling back upon the column :of
the Legion. 1t was then that Col. Hampton,
after few thrilling words at the head Of the
| Legion, ordered its fire TO be opened upon the
deadly battery that was moving down his
| ranks.
"Nobly aud galantry did his mon respond
| FirinO hr al. nj
they stood steadily until three o'clack in the
evening, under the deadly fire of one Of tho
most destructive batteries of the Federal
! army.
"At this time of the day. the Legion fell
back about 200 yards when Gen. Evans, Of
South Carolina rode up TO the line, and making
himself known to the men, added his noble and
| patriotic encouragement to those CT their gal
liant commander. A shout rises ias Beaurcgard
himself rides ia the line, and in stirring words
appeals to the Legion to hold it's devoted posi-
ton but few moments longer, and the victory
| would be won.
The men were suffering horribly from the
most raging thirst, when number of officers
| and privates volunteers on the desperate mis-
sion of bringing water from a ravine near by,
| lhtohSl tue uTc Ol Tie enemy. DuL tnfcc re-
turned from the gallant crrand I.ieuts. Bates
and Tomrkins. Of the Watson Guards, and
private n. n. CGrtlinge. and they just in time
to join Col. 1Iamptons last and desperate
charge upon the battery.
'The Legion had advanced about thirty pa
ces, when the charge was joined by the 49th
Virginia Regiment, under command o: Col
| Smith xy1,o lad lao oh b;s
! having been just shot from under him. Col
Hampton offered his own horse. At that
time, when within about l5O years Of the bat
terry Colonel Hampton received his wound
| lie was struck by ball in the temple. As he
| was rails ed. the cool and sefpossesscd gaIan-'
Try of the brave man was exhibited. In calm
aud affecting words he exhorled Col. Smith TO
stand BY the Legion, and to help to support its
| flag, The words added q new spirit to the
combined charge. The Legion advanced to it
with its right wing under the command of.Ge}.
Conner. and the lett under that of Capt. Gar
oy-the command of the intrepid Watson
Guards, who had SO distinguished themselves
in the opening of the action, being dcvolved
upon Lieut.. W. ID. Jennings. until joined by
| Lieuts Bates and Tompkins, who had under
taken the brave mission of bringing water to
| the suffering men through the thickest Of the
| fire.
"The slaughter of the enemy at the battery,
as the combined charge of the Virginia Rey
ment and the Htmpton Legion swept over it, is
| said to nave been terrific. The fugitives were
| pursued by tire companies Of the Legion to
near Centerville. For four or five miles, the
pursuit is described to have been over dead
bodes which strcwed the retreat of Tho euss
my,
"The Legion reports about thirty killed and
mortally hurt, with the immense number of
nearly 800 wounded-truly gallant record.
Neither its cavalry companies nor artillery ar
rived in time for the account had they done
| so, quicker work would have been made by the
Legion. As it is with the gallant record ithas
made, and the compliments ,of Beauregard
given it the day after the victory, it may,
boast. indeed, to have had distinguished part
in the glorious day.
The names Of Capts. Conner, Carey, Adju-
tant Barker and Surgeons Darby and Taylor
are mentioned among those who distinguished
themselves heroica lily in the fight.
The escapes of many of the men through,
the storm of fire are described as almost mira
| culous The South Carolinions were better
shots than the enemy. At three fires from.
one IF the Corporals, J. W. Tompkins, two
Yankees were seen to bite the dust; and at
one tipe of the action, LieSt. Jsnnings, with
a revolver, fred into the enemy number of
shots nearly each enc of which struck its man.
MshF of the. Legion had their clothes torn
ee3hf6ugh with buIlsss.'
NEWS FROM MISSOURI.
ST.. LOUIS, July 28.-John G.. Fremont Lin
eolns.tSw General, has arrived here.