Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1868-08-06

ltreusfgured and exalted as men will seem who
hazard everything for principle, and offer up thei
lives for q holy and noble cause. A strange anc
noble fire cleaned in their eyes, and lip and cheel
and brow, told Of courage and determination
not of fear. A few, too inexperienced or thought
less toestimate properly the solemnity' Of the oc
casion and the magnitude of the danger before
tthem,were singing, in full chorus, and with de6an
abandon, the "Bonnie Blue Flag" at that time 9
popular song in the parlor and in the camp
throughout the South. .....-
There were, not more than from six to eight hun
dred 10 al, and of this number, some three hun
dred belonged to the *th South Carolina, with
which the reader has already formed some &C
quaintance. One who looked upon their faces
cleaning with the light of battle, would invounta
1nily have thought Of the three hundred who made
the pass of Thermopyle q oonsecrated spot.
IS looking around within the cars, as they went
Ijostling and humping on their way, some inter
Iesting tableaux presented themselves On one
side sat an old man, tall, thin with downcast eyes
studious, firm and contemplative, his long snowy
beard sweeping down upon his breast, while at the
end of the seat by his side, stood a roundfaced
ruddy, smiling youth, leaning upon his musket
The one was approaching his three score years and
ten-the other had scarcely passed his sixteenth
year. He was the old mans grand son. Strange
comrades these, inthe hurly burly of battle They
| had left behind them the old plantation home
where their companionship was 80 natural, and had
come, the patriarch and the boy, to fight for the
home and the freside, where Age loves to go gent
lly to the grave leaning on the arm of Youth. II
was no strange thing in those days, when the fight
was done, to find in the thickest Of where the tray
had been, hoary locks dabbled in gore. The blood
of old age and the blood Of youth mingled theil
red currents together, on nearly every battlefield
| of the South. ..-. a... .,.
It was no mercenary struggle on the part Of the
South, or one of character to be fought alone by
the manly and vigorous. 1t appealed to every
heart and summoned, oftentimes, all Of household
Icapable of bearing arms, to go forth to the field
together to suffer- to bleed, and to die tor indepen
! dence. Z ss-n,ss - :.
A new field was opened that day in the expert
ence of many who were fastening onward. Each
one felt that battle was near and that before the
sum-. which was now mounting to its meridian,
should set, he would meet in murderous conflict
with the enemy. Conjecture was busy as to the
numbers and position of the foe. They might al:
ready be oting in the streets Of the city they had
doomed, perpetratng those helish barbarities upon
the beautiful and defenceless, that makes humani-
ty shudder with alright. The conflict might take
place in the heart of the city, from street to street.
and from house to house, presenting those accu'
mulated horrors which render battle in city
the most fearful of all scenes upon earth. Fall
where it might, the eager soldiers were impatient
for the moment of action. . ,.... ...s.;..
When within few miles of the city the cars
we're stopped at station, until the Colonel could
forward a telegram and learn the condition Of af-
fairs. The soldiers seized the opportunity to alght
and fill up their canteens, delighted to escape for
a moment, from the confinement of the uncomtort,
able cars, into which they had been crowded like
so many brute animals. A crowd, full of eager
interest, gathered around the Office where their
commander stood, awaiting response to his tele'
gram In few minutes it came flashing along
the wires. The calm, grave face of Colonel Giles
lighted up with smile of satisfaction and relief
as he became acquainted with the purport of the
message 1t was brief but to the point.
| He came out upon the platform, on and around
which his men had crowded, in their eagerness te
learn something of the work that lay before them
1t was arespectful and silent crowd, but their eyes
were full of eager inquiry. Every eye was direct
ed to the Colonel, who stood with the telegram II
'There is plenty of hard work before you, my
brave boys said he, in grave but cheerful tones
II will read you the dispatch as it has come tt
me-" sa4. .s..a lsa...." .......
| tTne enemy, by accounts just received, are a
bout eight miles off, marching upon the city, anc
burning every habitation on their route: They are
believed to be about eight thousand IN number
followed by. heavy reinforcements. We have M
troops here. A small detachment OF cavalry !!
watching the enemy. Bring on your men with al !,
haste. Reinforcements will come up Tomorrow.
'This is all, my brave boys. IF we cannot bea
the enemy there are, at least, enough of US to re
ltard his movements and to die with honor. L
they venture on, they shall hear the whistling O.
your bullets, and feel the point of your bayonet'
before yonder sun SETS To your places aboard tht
train |! We know where the enemy is and We vii
not pause till we find him. ......
| A wild Southern shout that made the welkir
ring, greeted these brief words from their com
mander, and there was rush to regain their places
on the train. The conductor gave the signal fo
starting, and with wild scream like that Of ar
eagle darting upon his prey, the iron monster
coughing fercely, rolled onward, faster and faster
bearing six hundred dauntless men ''near the flash
ing of the enemys guns" Onward it rushed
through field and forest, like some relentless anc
Implying dragon, winging its tortuous way dowr
rapid slope bearing train of pent-up captive
down to the jaws of hell.
Onward and onward The belts Of forest be
come narrower and less dense, the clearings be
come wider and more frequent, houses dot th'
landscape more thickly, and boarded enclosure
and thckly clustering houses, tell that they are roll
ing into that fair and hospitabe city, in which 70
many lingering months, shrinking and timid woman
lived, and loved, and smiled, and went about he
daily mission, with heart confident and buoyan
and peerless, while the army of mighty Republic
with all their engines of war thundered ceaseless
against her wallis and sought, by night and by day
to overwhelm the handful of brave men, who KEEP
ceaseless vigil around the city's hospitable hearths
The cars emerged into the city and came to
stand at the depot. The soldiers, with cartridg
boxes belted on and muskets in hand, swarmet
forth like the Greeks from the wooden horse, bu
these came to save and not to destroy. One or tw
cavalrymen, with horses jaded by hard and con
slant use, stood waiting at the depot to conmuni
| IL Il n;lo, Wb;la tbay ,uora an no oo