The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1861-11-06

ve'ope and illustrate as being wisely con.
ceived and originating with scientific fore.
cast. For the present, it is the most sat
'sfactory answsr can give. rather it is
the best reply | can make for two good
reasons : one is, If knew all about it, |
would not be at liberty to tell, would sub
Ject mysef 10 court MARTA! and cen
sure and the other is. that l do not
know. l once said to guod, honest old
sinner, almost in state Of nature, tn 1T
he WAS very old aCd must soon die, that
he should 60 {, preaching and Try to bs
come good and prepared, and | asked
him, very seriously, that if he was to die
what would become Of him With
equal seriousness and great esrnestness,
he replied, God Almighty only knew
for he did not" You can draw your in.
ference. The truth is, most Ct US are as
ignorant OF what is before US, as to cur
army movements, as this honest old sim
ner was rs to his future state. He had
implicit confidence in the knowledge Of
his maker and was willing to trust in
| that knowledge. We have every conf
dence in our generals and are willing to
leave that knowledge with them. Every
one knows the reason Jack would no,
eat his supper" There you may draw
another inference.
Since my last letter, the 9th has been
engaged in picket duty at Mills Cross
Roads. 1t was a four days service. This
place was then one of our advanced posts,
it is about Ave miles this side Of Nun.
sons Hill. 1t was apparent we had fal.
len back, for We knew our former advan
ced position in that direction. On both
OCCASIONS we occupied outposts. On the
after, we had the Goth Georgia Regiment,
Col Smith, as our neighbor. We reiev,
ed the 9th Georgia, formerly commanded
by the gallant Gen'l. Barlow, who fell in
the Battle Of the 2lst. That command
suffered severely in that engagement,
their Flag was struck with fourteen balls.
We were relieved by Col. Soan's, the
4th Regiment. 1t WAS supposed we oc
cupied critical and somewhat danger.
Gus position, but no person WAS hurt save
thorough and perfect wettiug from a
tremendous al night rain.
On Tuesday night, the 18th, we were
ordered 10 strike tents at Q o'clock At
Germantown. BY that hour all was
packed, down went the tents. The sick
and those unfit for duty Were sent to the
rear. AT o'clock the wagons were loa.
ded and line Of battle formed on the col.
or line, then the order to stack arms and
await further orders. About daylight
the order to fall in vas given and the
line Of march taken up by the entire
Brigade. Gen'l. Walkers Louisiana Bri
sade, and also Gent. Bonham's South
Carolina, were in motion in our rear
We had not got quite out Of sight Of our
former encampment before ws were halt.
ed by courier, bringing orders to main.
tain our position in case the enemy were
advancing with a disposition for fight
1t was rumorsd they were about two
miles from US in strong force. Our wag
ons with provisions had gone on, and
there we spent the day lying on the
ground, many sleeping, as no sleep had
been enjoyed the night previous. Late
in the evening an order came to resume
the march. About 0 o'clock that night
we halted and bivouaced in the neiehbor.
hood Of our present encampment our
wagons had taken up with our provisions
and we pitched into them with the gusto
Of hungry men. We had been encamp
ell ut Germantown since the 18th August.
Macy OF our comrades had there sicken.
I'd aud suffered many had there died,
No very pleasant associations fingered
about the par,ing-all were willing TO
leave II the hope tha, the leaving would
be for forward movement, but we were
no, consulted, and therefore had no voice
! have no doubt it WAS a strategic move,
aud time will show il.
Ou the 18th, near night, willis, it was
raining and before our tents had been
pitched, our Regiment WAS ordered ou,
tor a three days picket duty j., the direc
ton Of Makel-y House, on the CoIches
Ter Road. Wet, tired and hungry, the
march was taken up by the OH and con
,inued to>Our former hospital. where the
remainder Of the night WAS "sorter' spen.
BY a wet. hungry, faligued, worn out, half
asleep, and half alive command. There
II WAS known was no enemy aud all ex
element was gone. |, required more in,
genuity than | possessed 10 discover u
strategic move in that march, in that time
Of night. to that point. with such westh.
er, so WAS excused by Col b., who has
ever been kind and induIgsnt, until the
next day. Besides, the Commodore"
had gone in search Of spring early that
morning and had not returned. What
had become Of him was diff fiyull 10 tell.
Some supposed he had made for the Yam.
KEGS Others, that lie was lost and takeI
up in some Of the adjoining regiments or
briga'ies: clhers. that he might be sick
My anx'ety was not relieved until the
next day, when he "lurneI up" with his
bucket in hand. He found a spring but
lost his road returning. Before he came
back, had made inquiries 10 two ndjoin.
ing brigades Tor los! boy with buckle,
of "ater, and was told Of several similar
cases in which the "spring boys" had not
turned uD. However. hs persisis and