The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1861-10-09

|
feeble description Of Brandy more Castle
Hill. Before our march to this place the
9th had been frequently notified to prepare
for move twice the line Of march had
| been taken up and pursued for some dis
| tance until courier would meet us with
the news that our presence was not needed
| But on Saturday the lith, as | have already
on that morning informed your readers, the
| order was extended to prepare for n move
Mt IL o'clock. IL was taken up with cheer
| fulness, the march commenced with two
days provisions in Haveraicks, one blanket
| caoteen with tin cup, followed by the wag.
ons with two days additional supplies. 1t
was four days picket service, no tents,
nary bed. We arrived at Falls Church
| about sun set and shortly afterwards at
Brandy.mors Castle Hill-distance abou,
twelve miles from Germantown. The 9th,
Col. Winders Regiment had proceeded us
iour days, and were in possession of the
hill. The 9th was sent to relieve them
they were glad to see us and equally glad
to be relieved. There is no fun in picket
service, no beauty or poetry in bivC uacing.
1t Is hard, constant and dangerous work,
and Tour days service is as much as most
persons desire for one instalment 1t is an
ali day and all night business, requiring the
adopted the Indian mode Of warfare, their
scouts and pickets creep up, sneak up be
hind the cover of trees and fences in the
night, and fire upon our men without no.
tice. Often the frat intimation you have
Of cir presence is the report of their gun
and the whlzzing of the ball near yonr
head A sneeze, or cough upon the post
| will indicate :he position and It will be fol-
lowed bya fire. To walk about is equally
hazardous and will cause n fire. One Of
our men, Nathan Roberts, quite a youth, in
Capt Adams company had gone from his
post to get something 10 eat from friend
| at post near by, leaving Others TO guard
and watch until his return-upon returning
he was fired upon, the ball touching the
| CHA and neck, giving him painful but not
dangerous wound. The Lis part of an
inch deeper would have touched the caro-.
toed artery. He saw no enemy heard none.
Several of the "Greys" escaped only by a
fow inches. Many were fired at and miss
ed only by the breadth Of the ball I; the
breadth Of the ball is literally not true, but
il expresses the idea-barely miss. The
enemy too have guns with long ranges !;
they shoot at n great distance and are be-
| yond the reach Of our musketry. Il is n
great mistake to suppose they all shoot
badly, wide Of the mark--at least tho SO
who shot at our men were not. II ia true
| only one of our men was hit but many
were so closely shaved that they could not
laugh at the shooting, aud will not pro.
nounce them bad ahots. Tho enemies pick.
cts and scouts were in the woods and thick.
| cts outside OF our lines, mostly concealed
behind trees and lying down. It was only
when they moved about that our men could
pa I'M nd nnf Era
| to Singer and fall after the fire Of our men.
Measrs. Porter, White, Langley, Kellar,
John Williams, r. Perry and Milton Sad
Ter, Of the Greys, each made one smte the
earth after their fires. Whether they were
| killed or not could not be ascertained as
the pickets were not allowed to 90 beyond
sheir posts. Jas. c. Huey also shot one !;
he was near his post, was wounded and
brought 10 ; the ball passing through above
the collar bone. lie died about two hours
| afterwards. He was a stout young man,
said he was from Vermont and had volun.
teered Tor threc years +; appeared to be very
good mettle. The last words he spoke
were, "Lord have mercy upon my SOUL
lie was carried on litter from the post he
was wounded Mt to the camp, but died be-
fore reaching it (; he was buried near by
with his clothes and shoes on shortly after.
wards. He gave his name, but his relatives
| and friends will never know his end. Eve
ry attention was given HIM 10 ease his pain.
fol dying moments. His friends may new.
or know ii, but he was literally "welcomed
with bloody hands to n hospitabIe grave"
Our regiment obtained a good many shots,
but at long ranges. II is thought nine were
killed and as many wounded.
A Hungarian was taken prisoner. He
had only been in America two years and
spoke our language very imperfectly. lie
was disposed to communicate freely, and
| did so through tho assistance of membe
Of Capt Cantey's company, who spoke the
German language. lie said hs belonged to
German Regiment lOlo strong, stationed
about three miles, with three American reg.
iments, at place on the side of the Po.
tomac, called Fort DeKalb. lie was book
binder said the war had thrown him out Of
employment appeared to be intelligent
and educated; represented the Lincoln
forces on this side Of the Potomac from 40
to 10000 with many trenches and breast
works, mounted with heavy artillery. Our
treatment soon gained his confidence and
he communicated freely. 1 scrutinized him
closely and am disposed to believe he told
what he knew and as much as most pri.
army. He was sent to Head. quarters, and
] have heard that Gen. Johnston regarded
his Information as very valuable. He cor.
roborates some things which we supposed
to exist. His regiment was in>the reserve
at the battle Of Bull Run. A hearty laugh
was enjoyed at many of his sayings and re-
citals Of what had occurred.
Munson's is a high hill on the turnpike
road from Falls Church to Alexandra, six
miles from the latter and two FROM the for.
msr place. We have itin possession. Just
below, 10 sight, is Balls cross road. To
tight about two miles is Mason's, anoth.
eH,high hill. Upton's Is about one mile
th's side, nearer Washington. We have
those also. From those hills the encamp.
ment Of the enemy can be seen distinctly ;
their flags are floating de6autly In the
breeze. The Potomac Is also visible and
the boats passing. The Capitol with its
majestic dome looms up in full view.
have often visited the Capitol In by gone
days bxve gazed At In noble and impos.
ing structure, admired it, superior architec.