Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-05-02
9aiIg @ppeal.
PEEsTDENT paws AND soUTH

PRHsTDERT DAVIS SOUTH
CARoLTNA--A HBmHNHsCENCE'
In reviewing aClaiboFnes Life and Times
Of ougtnsn,v in DsBog's R,risr, the writer
says
70 ne conduct q the celebrated Mississippi
riass under charge Of Colonel, now President
Jeaerton Davis, on the field Of buena Vista.
The great movement thea made BY Davis, ls
safd TO have bsen without previous parallel II
The art Of war, and was regarded by The Duke
Of Wellington a. new and mastery. II was
sukseouentle made, we learn, on the authority
OF Gen. Cushing, on the fields Of the Crimea.
Bat to the extract from Claiborne, P 2Se;
aThs battle had been raging sometime with
fuctuating fortunes, ana was setting agsinst
rs. when Gen. Taylor, with Gel. Davis and
others, arrived on the field. Several regi-
msnts (Which were subsequently, rallied
and fought hraveiy) we're in full retreat;
O5Rnen, after having bis men and horses com
pletelF cut up, had been compelled to draw of
bis guns, and Bragg with almost supsrhuman
energy, was sustaining the brunt OF the fight.
ManV officers Of distinction bad fallen. Col.
DAVIS rode forward to examine the position Of
the enemy, and concluding that the best way
to arrest our fugitiVes would be 10 make a bold
demonstration. be resolved at once to attack
the enemy, there posted in force, Immediately
in front, supported by cavalry, and two divis-
Ions in reserve in bis rear. It was a resolu-
don bold almoet to rashness, butthe emergency
wss pressing With a handful ef Indiana voiun-
teers, who stiu stood BY their brave old colonel
(B1wles) and bis oyn regiment, be advanced at
double quick time, hiring as be advanced. His
own brave fellows fell fast under the rolling
musketrv OF the enemy, bur their rapid and
fatal volleys carried dismsy and death into the
adverse rsnks. A deep ravine separated the
combstants. Lesping into Il the Mississip-
plans soon appeared on the other side, and
With a shout that was heard over the battle
Ssld, they poured in a well directed fire, and
rushed upon the enemy. Their deadly aim and
wild enthusiasm was irresistible. The Next
cans ded In confusion 10 their reserves, and
Davis seized the commanding position they
had occupied. He next fen upon a party GO
cavalry and compelled it to fly With thclo s Of
their leader and other officers. Immediately
sfterwsrd a brigade Of lsncerE, 1000 strong,
were seen approaching at a gailop, in beauti-
ful array. with sounding bugles ard h~1tteTing
pennons. Il was an appalling spectacle but
not q man dinchei from bus position. TIE
tine be ween our devoted band ana eternity
seemed brief indeed. Bot conscious that the
eve Of the army was upon them, that the honor
Of Mississippi was a. stake, and knowing
that, II they gave way, or were ridden down,
our UNPROTECTED batteries 10 the rear, upon
which tbe fortunes Of the day depended, would
be captured, each man resolved to die IN HE
place sooner than retreat
"Not the Spartan martyrs at Tbermopyle-
not the sacred battalion ef EpaminoBdas-bot
The the tenth legion Of Julius Csssr-hot the
cd gaurd Of Nspoleon-eVer evi1ced more
fortituie than these young volunteers in a
crisis when death seemed Inevitable. They
stood ike statues, as frigid and motionless as
the marble itself. Impressed With This extra
ordinary frmnsss, when they had anticipated
-r-f- e,1 Hf-hH fha Fanrera advanced m re
deliberately, IS though they saw FOR the frs
tfme the dark shadows Of the fate that was
impending over them. Col. Davis had thrown
his men into the form Of a re-enfering angle
NsmilisrlT knOsR ss bis famous Y move
meBt,0 both TANKS resting on raFines. the
lsncsrs coming down On the intervening ridge.
Tnis exposed them to a corVergiEg IRE, and
the monsn they came within rife range each
man singled out bis object, and the whole
had OF tue column fell. A more deadly fire
never was delivered, aud the brilliant array
recoiled and retrssted, parslyzed and dis
mayed.
aSbortly atsrvard, the Msxicans having
concentrated a large force on the right FOR
their faal attack. Col. Davis was ordered ia
that direction. His regiment had been in &C.
tioB al daF, exhausted By thirst and fatigue, =
much reduced bv the carnage OF the morning :
Engagement, and many in the ranks suffering
from wounds, vet the noble fellows moved at
double quick the. Bowies' little band Of In
disna volunteers sin acted with them. After o.
marching several hundred wards they perceived
the Mexican infantry Advancing iu three lines,
On BraEg's battery, which, though entirely IN
protected. held bis position with e resolution
Of Is fame. The pressure upon him n
afimulsted the II s-sissippisns. TneT Increased !
ghsir speed, and when The enemy were within
one hundred Yards 1f -Hs battery, and conf q.
dent Of its caDture. they took hin ir flank and :
-~-.--- --M amm-uH H= -rErn- AL .Hmnar-~ -
Ere. This broke ms right line, asd the
rest soon gave way and fed back prscipitately.
Col Davis was severely Woundsd7
After this lengthy extract in regard to the
heroic conduct q Davis, we shall soon pass to
the acts Of Qlitmsn at The gates Of Mexico,
but before doing 50 viii be permitted a mo-
notice Of the behavior Of the South
Carolina reg msnt under the fire Of a Mexican
enemy. Those who sneer al Carolina courage
and virtues are. 10 general, too ignorant Of &
history to Be affected b. the record. Butler [
bis sick bed, against medical advice, to I
the Palmstt0s. His horse was shot under 1
hin. He took another and was severely
wounded. Dickinson DOW commanded, and
-sFfHg TIE flag from Beggs. was himself shot
town, also Beggs. Better, ~T5suming tie con-
nand, was killed By the side of Dckinson, IN
ter the flag. Dickinson fell again, but now
nortally wounded, and GLADDEN., placing the z
lag in TIE hands Of Leonard, led the charge I
There was DO u~sveriBg as dssth swept through {
Re ranks. Shot and shell hailed upon them.
The storm ragged:
"In the whole hislory,7 says Claiborne,
there has never been a more striking exam
indif renee 10 death, the result Of stern
%esolvs. Each nan fought fer the honor Of ;
CAROLINA. Several companies were almost an !
INFLATED. Some bad not men en-ueb left to
.urF their dead. OF bear their wounded to the
Lmbulances. The uniforms Of some OF their
were literally torn from their persons;
b. eolor-bearers were shot down, but the flag,
1sthed ia their blood, was always seized as
hey fell, and borne to the front Proudly it
Seated through the tempest Of death until the
victory bad been won, and then, al torn and
5io0dstsined, it drooped over its own glorious Z
5eadl The regiment entered the battle with q
rSBk and Gle, ard when il was over it.
1921 i bad no mIssiug; its dead
zbd wounded made up the deficiency. Cadets
b a noble State, sons Of q sunny cline, brand
ed BY their country az traitors for defending
he Constitution and their rights from usurpa-
ion and outrsgs, yet dying cbeerfgliv for that
in q foreign lanG-the world NAV learn =
such a race, IN defense Of their own home
reads and Institutions, can never be subdued.1