Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1868-09-17

the ground, from obtaining any knowledge OF the
objects which evidently excited so much apprehen-
sion and anxiety.
So absorbed were the scouts in giving heed to
that which was passing in their rear, that they
failed to notice the group occupying the road in
their front, until they had approached within q
eouple of hundred yards. After moments hur-
ried conference, one of them, separating himself
from his companions, came forward at an easy gal
lop. Every eye was upon his face to read if pos
sble, BY it's expression, the magnitude Of theorists
of which he came to forewarn them. Ee was q
spare, stern looking man, with naturally grave
and earnest face, now slightly pale with the excite
ment of the occasion. r
"What Regiments this ?" he demanded, looking
|enuuiripgly around him as he halted before the
group. -"
Captain Carberry's Company, Of the 9Th South
Carolina, on picket r answered Captain iyarberry,
stepping forward. ~ ,.r,"s:' ~
''You will have to retire rapidly, Captain, . said
the trooper: 'sthc enemy ore almost upon you. ="
s'In what force7" asked the captain, with an air
of gravity far removed from his ordinary leviy OF
manner $50" 81 = =,
Thousands upon thousands" returned the troop
er, laconicany 'For three miles across, the coun-
try is swarming with them like ants. 1t is time
for you to hurry up, if you expect to gut out Of
their way"
81 was sent here to lin their way returned
the Captain, with smile. =
"Very we'll, replied the trooper, moving on to
report in camp. "You will see for yourself, when
they come, that whole brigade would not be
much in their way" He touched his horse with
his spur and rode off at gallop, while Captain
Carberry, deploying his company as skirmishers,
marched them back to take advantage of the par
tia cover of the shrubbery that skirted the brook
at the foot of the hill The company was divided
so that about one half was on either side of the
road, at the place where it crossed the brook They
had scarcely taken their position, when the other
two scouts came Gathering down the hill at brisk
trot They paused, but for moment, at the foot
of the hill, to speak word or two with Captain
Carbery, and then hastened on at galop to the
top of the hill beyond the brook Theywere scarce
ly well across the brook when an ambulance, pre-
ceded by portly, grey-haired man on horse. back,
appeared at the brow of the hill in front descend
i ing along the road. The horses were urged on by
the driver, and the elderly man, who went before,
seemed to be pointing out to him the smoothest
path down the bill. ..l. ,.......... -...-
'Look yonder, Captain" exclaimed Giles Short
er, pointing to the ambulance when it 6rt appear
ed on the hill. "Durned if the enemy amt coming
upon us, rear in front. What does he mean by
sending his ambulance corps ahead."
'That is some wounded oountryman, Giles, I
suppose, that his friends are trying to hurry out Of
the way of the enemy. They will see the very devil
in the next five minutes, unless they are uncom-
monty lucky" .. o. .. ....
Victor, who wasstanding near by, behind aclump
of alder bushes thus had his attention directed to
the party. In the grey-haired man on horseback,
he recognized Mr.. Danvers, Of Petersburg, the
brother of Colonel Danvers, whom he had encoun-
tered in passing through the CITY, His heart leaped
wildly as, at glance, he OWNED the truth. he
was but a few yards from the road, and us the am.
bulance came down the hill, at trot, be obtained
glimpse of the occupants. There sat Nellie, pill
lowing the head of her father in her lap, while q
man of middle age-probably surgeon from the
city-was kneeling at his side striving to prevent
the wounded man from being incommoded orpained
by the motion of the vehicle. As the ambulance
was passing, Nellie chancingto raise her head en-
countered Victor's gaze At first her face flushed
up, but the next moment it became deadly pale,
and in grasping at the standard of the vehicle for
support, cambric handkerchief escaped from her
hand and huttered to the ground. Victor sprang
forward to restore it to her keeping but the time
he had picked it up, the ambulance had gone sew
eral rods, and it would have been triaing at time
like this to delay and endanger the whole party for
mere bagatele. When Nellie looked back, Vic
tor was standing in the road with the snowy cam
brio in his hand. Raising his cap, he gaanty fas-
tened, it as keepsake on the front, and bowling to
Nellie, with smile, returned to his post.
Great events sometimes depend ON things appa-
rently very trivial The ambulance, with its pre-
cous burden, had scarcely mounted to the summit
of the hill beyond the stream when the hill in front
was swarming with the blue coats Of the enemy.
Their column had scarcely appeared when it en-
countered concentrated and deadly fire poured in
upon them from the cover of the aders and willows
that skrted the stream Recoiing from the fire, the
column was driven back for moment, but strong
line of skirmshers thrown out, on either hand, and
farout Aanking Captain Carberry ssmallforce, came
steadily down the hillside, firing volley after vol
ley, which, fortunately passing over the heads OF
the Confederates, Topped off branches and tore up
the bark of trees above and around them. One or
two more rounds were delivered by the Confede-
rates with fatal effect, when Captain Carbery, re-
moving his wounded, retired across the brook and
posting his men on the top of the hill where they
we're sheltered behind the bodies Of huge oaks,
prepared to dispute the advance Of the enemy.
The fire of the Confedcrates had been delivered
with such fatal accuracy, and 50 many Of the ene-
my had fallen, that some minutes elapsed before
they had completed their preparations for advan-
cling. When, at length, they appeared, making
their way across the brook, the Confederates receiv
ed them with most CALLING fire. Their blood was
up, and they were now ready to dispute their fur
ther advance, inch by inch. The enemy, not yet
aware of the inconsiderable number of their oppo-
nents, advanced with extreme caution, and in the
full belief that the Confederate line of battle was
before them, ready for the conflict. Several min
utes were spent in skirmishing, when the feeble
ness of their fire betraying the weakness of the
Confederate force that held the hill, charge was
ordered on the part of the enemy. As they were
making their way up the hill, they received vol
ley more fatal than any yet given and when atlast
they gained the summit, the Confederate pickets
had melted away and disappeared like shadows.
Making a stand wherever the nature Of the coun.
try rendered it safe to do so, Caytain Carbery an.
4 j 1 i IL ool, u