New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-08-05

ew days rest and ease, but such was not our luck.
On the following morning we received orders to
march and make room for another virginia ana
one South Carolina regiment. In less than half an
hour the whole brigade was under way, and we
were moving in the direction OF Camp Wigfall,
when about half way the order was contaminated
md we camped that day and the following, until
o'clock on the morning Of the 2lst, (Sunday,) at
the very place the courier overlook us. From here
we returned to where we had started from, only
by a different road; arrived there, we were soon
honored by shot and shell from the enenay, but |
did not return, as we had no artillery. About |
O'Clock that norninga regiment Of Eirginiana, to- /
gether with the Continentals and Baton Rouge |
Fencibes, crossed the stream to storm the bat |
terry If it should become too annoying to US, it |
having already then killed four and wounded seye- |
raj of our men. At that time, in fact from early
daybreak, We heard cannonading at some distance.
and well aware that general engagement must
necessarily soon take place, came to the con-
cluson that the crisis had at length arrived. Az
about IL o'clock we were ordered to rccross the
river, and the whole brigade took up march IN the
direction of the firing, namely, the great battle OF
Stone Bridge. The distance is about twelve miles,
and was made principally running, over fields,
through woods, notsone hundred yards even SOIL
You may well imagine how we felt at midday, the
thermometer ranging at about 650 OF course we
threw off knapsacks, provisions, blankets and
eyery hing calculated to tighten us, but, neverthe-
less, a good many Jagged behind and aome others
actually gave out; as for myself, | never eX-
perienced such fatigue and heat in all my various
exploits. But what was that in comparison to
what was to come? Closer aud closer sounded the
artillery and volies Of infantry. Miles distant
from the battlefield, dead and wounded lay strewn
about on both sides of the road, while not
step we could go without meeting some one
returning from the battle wounded Or assisting
the wounded, Or one whose appearance already
indicated that the battlefield Of this world
was closed for him forever but not one passed
who was able to speak, who did not hail US with
some words Of encourag agement-such as, hurry up,
BOYS: you are lust in time or, we have got them.
hove 1ppro ot1I q thsr pv
desparing, encouraged and begged us to be quick,
as their regiments had suffered terribly and if no
reintorcements had come sooD the battle would
have been lost. Both appeals. though contradict
ory, had the desired efiect-the last nerve, as it
were was strainGd-tlie last enlinence was gained,
and there lay before our view two armies III deadly
combat, deciding whether nation OF treemen
shall be free or be subiugated to the rule OF their
would-b op1ressors every prominent point oG-
cnped by batteries pouring forth their deadly mis-
slea, wlSe brigade after brigade marched to end
fro to protect them and gain for themselves more
advantageous positions. more appropriate
place. so far as name is concerned, could not have
been selected than Stone bridge as, had the enemy
been successful the orth would indeed have had g
stone bridge to cross over to the very streams Of
Southern hearts blood. But, to the battle Before
| sunrise, the special battalion of Major Wheat,
| composed of the Tigers, Capt. Alex. White, the
| Walker Guards Capt. harris, the Old Dominion
| Guards Capt. o. P. Walker, the Delta Rangers,
| Capt. Gardner. and Catahoula Guerillas, Capt.
Bullaup, numbering together about 460, rank and
| file, commenced paying their respects to the ad
| vanced guard of the enemy. In this they were
| assisted by companies OF South Carolina Regt
/ ments; but owing to the rapdity of the advance
| in overwhelming numbers it became necessary tc
retreat and resort to all stratagems known to war
fare to escape the deadly Mimic balls of the enemy
| II was when emerging from the woods on one side
of the road, to await the arrival Of the enemy tina
| the South CaTolnans mstooi this battalion for the
| enemy, and fired into them aud the fire was re
! turned before the unfortunate mistake was d'sCoY
cred but this accident, it were, cemented botl
only closer together for the balance Of the day
| wherever the fight was the hottest, the gallan
| Wheat, with his battalion was foremost, assisted
and seconded by the captains and officers Of tht
| companies, who are too well known by all OF you
| to need any praise at my hands tor persona
courage and bravery. 1t was very near the clos
of the battle when Maj. Wheat was wounded. Hi
command having suffered severely, he ralliet
| once more all remnants and scattered fractions
and brought them again before the enemy only tt
dare them once more to come on, and their re
fusal to charge, to fail mortally wounded.
The command of the battalion, which was on tha
day reduced from 400 to 2G0, fell then OF Capt Har
ris-a soldier and gentleman well known to all 0
| you-who, during the battle, had his horse sho
from under him, and had, in fact several marrow
escapes from death. And, While on escapes
allow me to relate to you the escape of Henry S
| Carey of New Orleans. He got shot in the leg
and being left by his company, very quietly la
down and awaited coming events. He did no
wait long; for one of those chivalrous lanke
brigades soon retreated in The direction where h
was living, when struggling lieutenant discovere
him some distance off, ran to him and said, " Aw
we have got you, he 10 eyes" said Carey, =" yo
have, and hope you will treat US like we trea
you" With that the Yankee ran his sword throug
Carey's thigh, having, Of course missed his ain
(tha heart) when Carey very quietly drew his re
voiver and blowed off the whole back part Of til
head of this Northern ruian Such is their bravery
In the fore part of the battle, and while tn
enemy had the regulars of the United States Arm
to push forward, the battle was very well contest
! ed: and with Numerical strength over us, vel
drilled and battlefield soldiers in front and NOR
artillery than had, they no doubt thought t
have quite an easy thing OF it, and several
} sions actually did have the advantage. But the
| lacked one thing--the spirit and spunh which an
mated every one On our side. Whenever charg
. was made, our BOYS would make the welEin rim
with their shouts and hurrahs--so much so, that
1 the latter portion OF the battle, we had only t
l halo and run towards them, when they woul
leave in hurry, without even firing shot.
r The Northern Army was commanded By Gel
Mcdowell, with Gen. Scott at Gentreyille as til
, ''power behind the throne" ETC., ETC.; Will
. Gems. Beauregard. Evans Johnston and Jetferso
. Davis, ESQ.,, managed the youngsters OF the \ oun
:. Republic. You cannot imagine that could giv
= you full detail of all the movements of the dfte
! ent wings Of the army; and | therefore coniir
! myself to such abstracts as may be interesting
- Of all the different portions of the Northern arm
. the New York Houayes suffered most. They al
il completely burst up. What are not killed, a
:, II wounded or taken prisoners Iactualy don't thiI
y that out of 10o 200 left the field with sound hide
q = They fought WELL and were the especial favorit
u of the South Carolinians, Tigers, and particular
of the Washington Artillery. The prisoners al
= wounded say that they never expected to meet
= army here, but merely concourse Of people
- open Notwithstanding like a Centre stre
~ riot in New York. The episode of the battle, no
~ ever, was the critical moment when, in order
a save the day, it became necessary to storm b
~ terry at all hazards. This duty, dangero
a. and important, was entrusted to Virgin
+ regiment, assisted by another, of what State l
- not recollect. Their charge was terrible, but
!. no avail Again they charged, with the same
r. suit. Reinforced they fought their way, inch
: inch, to the top of the hill, and the battery W
(. captured, not, however, before 700 noble lives
4 our side had been sacrificed. This gave the bat
at decided inclination to our side, but notwthstaI
is ing this, regiments after brigades and reserves
O. infantry kept pouring in and the plan was at OIL
as changed.
III While their infantry in overwhelming nu
bers were to keep our infantry harmless, their
sh tiiiery. which had taken prominent positions, W
y to operate against our stronghOlds but they h
in no doubt, forgotten that there was also Washing
H. Artillery in the field at Stone Bridge. Thror
Il the thckest of perfect shower of mimic rife ba
Id they moved their batteries to the point selected
to Gen. Beauregard himself, and his horse Just Il
VI having been shot from under him. he very quit
helped himself to the horse of one of the artlle
ch and lett them with the bare admonition g dc
ps waste your powder boys, but take good ain