The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1862-05-09

a little row boat on the other side Of the stream
opposite the house, with one of our blue over
coats in it, walked on towards where the pick
ct was, and all ut once heard drum corps
strike up short distance to ourleft, rebel guard
mounting in South Carolina. Went on a little
faster, found the picket and came back the short
way; didn't feel inclined to 60 out Of our course
to look at the battle field again. Well. to fin
ish company +, | took the last three Of his men
that came in, along up with me when | moved
to the coPs. Head Quarters. They had been
in the swamps since their fight and now just
getting back when / overlook them on the road.
The bridge being repaired and the Col. having
ascertained by means Of scouts that the rebels
! had left little Edisto went over with all the
force he could muster, to hunt up i, their equip
mcnts &c. Found one corporal dead having
been shot through the head. His remains were
brought back, aai he was buried with becola-
ing respect. A sick man had been left in the
house. lie says that after the fight the rebels
came to the house he was in and he heard three
companies call their rolls. lie could not tell
how many were missing, only that one Capt.
was gone. They took all the knapsacks, &c,
away with them, but left him two blankets and
offered him drink Of wiskcy. They asked
|
were told only little company of 70mcn. They
said he lied, for they had been fighting against
500 with only 800 and had licked them. The sick
man was brought away by The Col The next
morning about oo'clock, one ofcompany k'smen
made his appearance. lie had been taken pris-
oner and carried over to the main land, but by
some mistake on the part of the rebels, he was
LETT along with the pic,ets, andmade his escape,
swimming on plank from the mainland to
one end of the Island. He saiith he helped to
carry Is dead secesh over the bridge from little
Edisto to Cooper that they lthe rebels had 3D.
yanced with 5000 men, not expecting to find
things as they were, coming all that night (Sun-
day) with force Of 1O00 This he learned
from the conversation he had heard between
several Coils. Co. f lost in the fight one man
killed, | Lieut.. and | l men killed wounded or
taken prisoners-total, -. II lost and K l..
The two latter We're on picket. Co. { made
as great q fight as was ever heard of. Jim and
got back from our tramp about 69 o'clock.
The Col. told me that he wishe me to visit my
guard every two hours, the adj't. would stay
up till u, and 90 to bed, the Quarternaster
1ould thaa get NJ, and rtey ,rp iii 4. rrtr .,s-
Col would get up, and stood u good chance
of being up all night An attack was expec-
ted early in the morning. Col. Moore of the
Nth n. Y, was the senior otiicerand Of course
had command of the whole force. Yet every
man in both Regiments knew that Col. White
had twenty times the amount of brains that
Moore had. Part of the 18th under command
OF Major Kane was there, tho balance was a.
long the road between there and camp. Col
Moore retired to the gun boat, and Col. White
came out Comm ander m Caet. Companies u
e and f were within 100 yards of each othor.
the balance were about OF a mile from US. The
Col had q strong picket on each OF the road:
leading to the different Islands, also or cav
airy ordcrlies at each point to acquaint him
{ with the first approach We expected fight
We had piece of artillery and so had the
other seven companies Our plans were tc
fight them as long as we could; and if compo
{ ed to retreat, to fall back on the companies
, If the communication was cut off at the mair
road, we had another one that we had made
$ through the cotton. We felt certain we coult
{ thrash 1000, for we were fighting for life o.
. death, for we had no place to retreat to. Sc
G every man made up his mind to do his best. Blu
4 the Coils object was to keep them from com
s ing on the Island in any great force. The nigh
D passed through and there was not even an u
y
Q q kind of a surprise The next morning thu
G Col. ordered me to go to take nap L wa
: irving to do 80, but it was impossible for amar
J TO sleep there in day light. Gnats, mosqultos
Q sand-Aies and hcas, were as thick as the WOO
, on sleeps back was fighting them when
n heard q noise in front of the house, went on
: and saw co. i and part of d in ranks, aske(
4 them where they were going. Orderly told IN
: the Col ordered him to get the company out
C al he knew-went in and the Col told me III
a was going to send ID and + over to Edisto un
n der Capt. Nesbit on a scout L asked II
{ could 20 along with my company. lie sad
4 wanted to 30 he would not prevent me- Bu
If he wanted me TO sleep as he would need me q
2 gain that night. l put on my sword and ha
). hardly got started when the Col. ordered u
4 back 4 scout had come in and reported tha
: the opposite side of Little Edsto was full Q
j. rcbels--rather lucky or ID and + might hay
# taken little trip to Charleston. We marchc
v down to the burnt bridge and concealed our
i selves in the woods. About the same time a.
# orderly came in from the Jehosse bridge, AM
% reported to the Col. that the rebels were ap
o preaching in great force. The Col. got out th
/, field piece and gave them 10 or II rounds o
@ prapc. 1t drove them back We replaced TN
n pickets and returned to our quarters about dark
/ Ats o'clock r. NJ the same day our orderi.
d came in from each picket saying the picket
is were driven in and that they Ghe rebels) wer
n coming over the eauseway by thousands. w
v were in line of battle in two minutes. Gu
e little gun was put to work We remained il
IF line of battle till after day light. Tuosda
n night they tried to make q move from Raccoo
Il Island, or rather attempted to attract our at
/ tcnton to that point, and bring their force O
is to us from Little Edisto just below the burn
,e bridge. We were in line of battle from dar
IS till day light Our gun spoiled their calcua