The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1862-07-16

on and such was the nature Of the ground
that our troops stayed The fgh, until morn
i.g.
FRIDAYS FIGHr.
Early this morning at the crack Of day.
the ball was again put in motion: the roar
OF artillery and the sharp crack of the riG,,
and mnske,, nwoke me from one of the
most refreshing sIumbers | ever .njoyed.-
II was soon understood tha, our Brigade
would lead The advance on cur left, aud
every man Of the old 18th seemed TO be
ready and willing to do his duty, though !:
was well known that there was IA hot DAVIS
work before us. Col Barnes as he m0un-
ted in the saddle, remarked "well BOYS, |
believe this Is the longest day in the year,
and we have made an early START" IL was
not long before VIC heard the command of
"for"ard march," the lst South Carolina,
resting on our right, marched of amid
cheers and our boys followed suit. We
halted 'r a hall mile Of the enemy, formed
iine of battle, and waited for the word Of
command. 1t was not long ia coming. Gen.
Grrsg coming up at this time give US to
understand what we had to do, md com.
m"nded us to forward, double quick" ard
charge the enemy's strong forriiica,uns at
EiIysons Mills, which our troops had failed
to take Thursday evening, and disruption
OF which have already given. We lid
not advance On their Srenstworks by the
road as had been done by Ripley the prcvi.
Gus evening, but simply made irint in
mat direction, cros-ed the main body nigh.
or up the creek, took the redoub.s and rifl.
pits en flank, carried them with the buyo.
net, pushed onward through The camps, aud
pressed the enemy tightly in their rctrent
until they arrived at Gums Milk, another
strong position. They made desperate
stand here for some little time, but our
boys soon wsdcd the creek, passed over
and routed hem again, taking some prison.
ers and capturing an innumcrable amount
OF commisaiy stores and other vuluabIes
too tedions to name. | will, however, state
]. whiskey, and other very desirable, | may
say dei!cacies. All of our boys have good
shoes and plenty coffee captured at hi.
place The most daring aud gallant nc, I
Witnessed during thi. engagement, was
Performed by Capt Vanlaniingham, Of The
Lancaster Hornets" lie rushed 10 the
head OF his command, CLONE up A tre.
amid The fire OF the enemy and tore down
the Yankee flag. am sorry to saw that
this gallant officer fell later in the dny at
The head OF his command, seriously woun.
ded Ills place cannot be filed The enc.
my before retiring from, this last position
Destroyed the bridge and caused some DELAY
IN bringing up our artillery. They had suf.
heIent lime, therefore, to throw up breast.
works, which they did about one mile far.
'her on. When we again came in full view
Of The enemy, they opened a mos, terrific
hre upon us with canister sh OF ana shell
We double quieked for hnlf a mile TO gain
more dsfensiblc position in their front,
and many gallant fellow fell while cross.
ing the open plain. Here, was the warmest
contested tght Of the day. The 18th and
LIST Regiment, held at bay $4,000 infantry
f"r about two hours. 1t wns thought that
~e would be reinforced by JACKSON on on,
lsfi, and which understand, since the IN
g"gement, was the plan, but our General
seemed too precIpitate and too ansiou, 10
take the batteries In our front and came
very near being aanked by his disobedience
OF orders. We was just in the situation
that II was !uinous 10 hold our position or
10 fall back, so forward movement was
contemplated and executed in the mos,
gallant manner il was in this charge that
our gallant and loved Captain fell, seriously
| wounded, besides ihreo Others of our com.
pany was killed. have a!read; forwarded
you list Of the killed and wounded in
Fridays engagement, in both Companies
from Lancaster. The most earnest resi-,
'anre made US, was by the i2ih u. 3. Reg.
u'"rs and 10Th N. Y. Zouayrs. They stood
the hre of dur men In the most admirable
'"a"uer' ool when the bayonet was presen,
ted they gave back in great eonsusion.-
r!re alter hre was poured into their re-.
'r'a''ng ranks, aud 100 lay dead on tho
held next morning fronting wher. our Reg.
iment engaged them. II was a hard con.
tested field, aud but for the bravery and dis.
cIpiins OF our troops We would have failed
to carry this point.
Col. Barnes could always be found at
The head Of hi. Regiment, encouraging his
men. both by example and word. Capt.