The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-05-17

BY ]. N. REID, CAPTAIN 18th IOWA.

eotal 90 auS took up our line Of march in
the general direction Of Brsnchvllle,
striking the railroad at Midway station,
near which village w. Gilmore Simms,
the author, resides. The old gentleman
was not at home, having been conscripted
into the militia. Gen. Blair had his house
and library protected by q guard. The
enemy kept all the time in our advance
at every swamp and t~er where naturtl
distractions afforded by the character of
the country favored him. he opposed our
progress.
On the Salkehatchie river, two branch
es of which form the Combahee. he seized
upon the three crossings in our route. viz:
Buiord's Ferry, Rivers Bridge and Bsa1-
toms Ferry, the approach to which was
through swamps filed with water. Rv-
ers' Bridge is 10 the centre making
feint at the two other crossings, We waded
the swamp, some places waist deep, for
nearly mile, the water being very cold.
Our regiment engaged the enemy and put
him TO fight, and Mowers division car
ried Rivers's Bridge by assault, with the
loss Of about one hundred men killed ard
wounded by the enemy's artillery, which
commanded the road approaching it.,
down which be husled his grape aud can
mister upon them, to which our batteries,
not being able to get position, could not
reply. Seven small bridges we're crossed
before arriving at the main one, but moth
ing could stay the inpetuous progress OF
Movers yeter~e Onward they rushed,
the enemy fed, and the day was won
After bivouacing Oh the field all night,
wet and shivering. next day cur entire
army crossed the Salkehatchie and stop
ped in the snemy's abandoned works,
built new rife pits, and remained only
one day and night supplying ourselves
bountifully with forage Of all kinds, with
which We found the country filed, as it
had been spirited away from the other
side of the river to be out of the way oil
Shermsn's army. Chickens, turkeys,
ducks, hams. doar, corn meal lard, but
ter, eggs. ysms, sweet potatoes, peanuts,
and TIE Gaest haney ever saw, were in.
dulged in hugely By our patriots. This
Was too good to last long, bat We went on
our way rejoicing toward Midway, as ]
have before stated
An amusing incident occurred at the
battle Of Rivers Bridge, viz: the loss Of
his spectscles by one of the South Caro-
Ina militia, who fed from his picket post
en- our approach in sseh hot haste that be
sband oned them (as we say in Sherman s
army when our equipments are lost, J
"for Eant of transportation" A haver-
sack filed with cartridges. marked "Lud-
low, Birmingham, England" was also
found near the same place. The balls be-
longing to those cartridges, furnished, no
doubt. by British sympathizers with the
rebellion, differ from our common minnie
balls in this, viz: they are longer, being
round instead of pointed, and the butt
end OF the ball, instead of being pointed
at the bottom of the cavity, is. fiat, with
the letter "L," for Ludlow, in it, with a
piece of hard wood fitting into the cavity.
The minnie has no wood in the end. blu,
is left open. The wrapping paper about
the different packages of these cartridges,
also all found at Columbia, which were
by the same manufacturer, was of oiled
paper so as to make them water. proof.
From Midway, after tearing up the
railroad, we marched towards Orapgeburg,
where We were again met by the enemy,
who opposed our crossing the bridge over
the iisto nver. After short contest
We routed him and he fed in confusion.
Occupying the place early IN the dav, we
remained Till next morning, when we
again took up our limo of march and "pro.
ceeded to business" in tearing up and
burning the railroad.
Orangeburg is very old, but not q
very large town. In the Revolutionary
war 1t was tie headquarters of Lord Raw
don, and one of The line of military posts
w Sonu@Ns 0buIfccluu with Tue interior Oh
the country. Col. Thompson, one of the
distinguished Wing military leaders of
those days, lived there, of whom Wade
Hampton, the grandfather Of the rebel
General. speaks in the most glowing
terms. Two brothers Of the late Attorney
General Of the United States, Hugh S.
Legare, pronounced Lagree) under Pre.i.
dent Polk, ! believe, still live there. Miss
Mary Legare, sister, maiden LADY Of
considerable wealth, once contributed
largely TO college established some Years
ago 9, West Point, Lee county. Iowa. and
resided there several months. She is still
in the North. having left South Carolina
on accounted her hostility to slavery.
One OF the brothers resided near where
we stopped, very courteous old gentle
man OF fnc personal appearance, good,
address, with fine Conversational nowe.s
and much Intelligence. lie was too old
for the war, and though large property
holder, had devoted himself and given
freely for theeause of education. A lady.
who is the Principal of the 0Oroh.r