The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1862-06-18

WAS at Gardners Corner. We halted,
marched into an old fed and fed, and
Tor the drs, time our company knew whs,
it was to lay upon their arms II wss
now just 2 o'clock in the morning, and
our rough march Of thirty miles had wear
risd us very much. buckled up as ~e all
were With our arms. We searched for
no particular spo, to res, our wsaried
dramss. but here and :hsre nigh, 10 seen
email bands, laying upon old smother
earth, with their heads leaning against
soms sturdy oak, in sweet reposs. The
soldisrs were thus .,re~n in every direc
ton, over a considerable space Of ground,
(for the were ten, or twelve companies
eucamped together n, this PIsce.) Many
Of us had closed our ey yes only a few min
u,es in sleep, when the sun commenced
ori ktening up the ears,eru aky with his
rays, aud ~e were soon again ordered to
mount. We formed in line rs We had
travelled the day previous, and just rs the
bright lumiuary Of day showed his face
above the tops Of The trees, We were ready
and waiting for the word march. rbe
infantry company being in the rear. We
awaited their arrival. While thus si,ua.
ted, some Of the soldiers brought up a
Yankee, he WAS a Sergeant, and We had
An opportunity Of hearing him converse
He said the force thst ths enemy had ou,
WAS about twelve hundred, and the whole
6'ss upon The leland. was abou, SIX thou
sand--the mortality upon the Island, he
said. was great. Ore Regiment having
lost MS high ss two hundred men.
We hsd not remained in ,Li. position
long before Col. Meauss' Regimen, came
up aud passed in front Of the cavalry.
The artillery having sucamped 5syond
u the night previous, was now in motion,
aud W oil took up the line Of march
Sthsr Infantry RsgimeRts being close in
the rear.
We now moved on for the expected
battle field, and f:om the couu,suancs and
chssrfulnsss OF the soldiers, all appeared
anxious for the conflict. Not that there
WAS any desire 70 fight for tho novelty Of
it, neither to expose our lives for the
sake of ambition but must say, we felt
like taking revenge upon this wicked
baud, ~Lo, now had carrying of with
them, thousands Of dollars worth of prop.
er,y, and ~ho had fired upon every ci.i.
zen they found at their homes and who
had forced out slaves dressed IN uuif,rm,
armed and equipped, to make them slsy
their own masters and families. These
are tue enemies We have here 10 contend
with.
We soon came Isl sight Of Ga.dners
Corner, aud heard that the enemy WAS
gone, but they bad left another mark Of
their brutality. BY the side Of the road
lay one Of our soldiers. in the cold EN-.
brace Of death. lie belonged to the Ru,
ledge Mouut.d Ri6smen. lie and snoth.
er soldier, WAS sent with = Dispatch to
head quarters Abou, nine O'Clock the nigh.
previous, and having missed their way,
came on the innkse picksts, who fred
OH them and struck him With ball in
the left breast which passed out under
the left shoulder. The other one wxs
wounded bu, escaped. We still pursued
on towards Port Royal Ferry, which was
some Eve or six miles further; but was
not fortunate enough to over take them
on land. When the artillery arrived in
sight Of the Ferry. there Was Two or three
b ,st loads Of soldiers who had not yet
20, of. The cavalry was Immediately
ordered to retrss. some lour hundred
yards 20 . piece Of woods. when the ar
.illery opeusd upon them, and continued
pouring shot into them, until they bad
fired about sixty rounds. The enemy
made no resistance but rowrsl Of at the
double quick, until they were ssfs beyond
the reach Of our guns. did not learn
what damage was done 20 them, ba, one
thing I do know, il no one Was hurt some
body was scared.
Shortly after our artillery ceased firing,
the Captains took charge Of their rsspec.
tive companies, and we took up line Of
march for home. here use the word
h"ns, because the camp sounded 10 our
ears almost ~ sweet. at this time, as
sweet home commonly does to the soldier.
II was now nearly noon, and sltbough
much fstigusd from our march, and from
the want Of refreshments and rspose, ws