Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1863-05-13
NAV 11th, 1868.
From the Seat Of War.

From the Seat Of War.
We have been kindly permitted to make the
following interesting extracts from q letter writ
ten by sergt. WALLACE, of the l4th, to his moth
or in this Village: 4.
DEAR MorHgR:- y y when I look
back and think over what has transpirsd ia sEe
last four days, and consider how many poor souls
have been hurled abruptly into the presence OF
their Maker, and consider what danger We were
in. il makes mo 'shudder. Oh! mother We can
never sufficiently thank the Good Ono for his hav-
ing protected US throughout the conflict. IL was
awful, and the slaughter on both sides was terrinc.
It is said %: be the hardest battle of the war, and
az can't more than give you a slight outline OF
the fight in this letter. On last Wednesday very
early in the morning, We heard firing, and about
9 o'clock an order camo for the Regiment to be
ready to move at u moments warning. About an
hour after We received orders to march, and we
set out in the direction Of Fredericksburg. We
got to our position in the line OF battle about d
o'clock. We remained there that night, md the
next day and night. The enemy had crossed in
front of our position, were i'll line Of battle and
all thought the ball would open every mument.
On Friday about day VIC moved up the River, and
about 2 o'clock the advanced line commenced
skirmishing, but the Yanks were driven back
without much loss ON our side. They gave back
about two miles. That night we were put in the
advanced line, and expected to 90 to fighting the
next morning. But next morning, after much
delay, we muvcd on up the River by the eft-fank,
and some other troops took our place. We marched
all that duy, and about 5 o'clock the advanced
limo ID. II. Hills division) commenced the fight,
and drove the enemy back about three miles,
driving them cut Of four lines of breastworks. We
marched right through tho battle ground. There
was not much execution done on either side. We
had very few killed and wounded the Yanks
lost more than We did. That evening We had to
march under one of the severest kinds of shel!ing.
and it's my puiuful task to tell you of the death
of O. p. Wulker, u brother Of Milton. Ho was
killed dead-a piece of u shell struck him in tho
forehead and tore of the top of his head. You
don't know how sad it made me- feel. He was an
excellent fellow, beloved by all, and will be miss
cd much by all. The same she'll wounded john
Gay, Ed. Dinkins aud W. II. Poscy. That night
we were put in tho advanced line aud the next
morning Sunday opened the fight about sun
rise. We drove them out of ono line Of breast
works, advanced on tho End hut they made such
II desperate stand that we had to fall back to tho
lst again. Our End line then advanced but they
also had to fall back. The 3rd line made q flank
n6 drove them back. We then i'd
vauccd aud they left the Bird line Of b~reastwork',
but they famed US on account Of ONO Of our
Brigadss not moving fast enough on our left So
we were now under q FIRE from the front aud left
which proved to be too much for us and we hal to
foil back again, and it was in this falling onck
that we had so many men wounded. / send You
a list of the wounded. The haS0e WAS dreadful.
Our army suffered u great deal. They we're final
driven out of the Bird ani 4th line Of works
over q distance of about 2 miles. The fight lasted
all day, and I was wounded slightly in the arm
about II o'clock, OF the time they alnked US.
The balls wore flying thick all around VS. and the
men were falling in every direction.