Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1868-09-17
from the rear, while another regiment began its
charge across the valley in their 'front.'

with their comrades who were struggling. Prompt
y wheeling his regiment to dislodge this new enc
my, q most horrible conflict :ensued. Charging up
TO the mouth of the chasm, the men OF his regl-
ment hurled down rocks and stones upon the enc
my, who fought OF great disadvantage, having
to contend with men flushed with success, and vig-
orously employing against them missiles unknown
to regular warfare, of which they were in no con-
ditiou to avail themselves There was no way of
combating against weaponsof this character "ed
down upon them with the rapidity Of hail-stones.
Some of them were slain outright, while yet larger
numbers were disabled. The Confederates leaped
down, and with the bayonet and the butt Of the
musket; completed their success.
8. 1t was short but terrible conflict and many OF
the disabled owing to the character of the weapons
with which they fought, presented q horrible and
ghastly aspect. -. ..
The regiment Of Colonel Giles had now, for the
second time, been brought face to face and foot to
foot with the enemy in the open field, and had &C
quilted themselves like veterans. With courage
exalted by success, they had become nvincible and
disdainful of the enemy. s-., z. -s.. ts.-.
After this taste of the horrors Of charge, the
enemy contented himself the greater part of the
afternoon, with annoying and harrassing the Con
federate line with the fire of his numerous batteries
and small arms, from safe distance Sharpshoot-
ers were detailed to annoy the enemy's artillery
men, and to pick off al who dared to expose them
selveswithin range. Muskets were sputtering, and
minnie balls were whizzing by on every side, but
such caution was observed, that it was only now
and then that wound was inflicted on either side.
The forces of the enemy were so greatly superior in
number to those of the Confederates, that the lat
ter could not venture to assume the offensive. 1t
wouh have been extremely hazardous, in view Of
the great disparity of their forces for them to have
adopted the offensive until all their reinforcement
should come up, which consummation could not be
reached for some days. In the meantime, there
was the painful prospect before them that they
would be compelled, for some days, to remain on
their guard, confined to such positions as the
movements of the enemy should impose upon them.
Towards theclose ofthe day, Victor found him.
self posted, with bis company on the right Of the
regiment, at the entrance of the cut where it was
scarcely two feet in depth. The earth thrown out
on either side, however, formed breastwork,
which served as tolerably secure protection a.
gainst the missiles of the enemy which were con-
stantly flying around him. The small arms were
fercely sputtering all along the line in answer to
the enemy's fire, and shells were bursting above
this portion of the line, or solid shot ploughpg up,
each moment the slight earth-work formed by the
soil thrown out from the excavation. az
Prescott was erouched down by Victor's side,
with that indolent, impurterbable expression upon
his face, lighting up with interest and animation,
only now and then, as he caught the futter Of some
hostile uniform through the foliage on the wooded
hills in 'front.' and levelled his musket eagerly, but
calmly, to diminish the number Of his country 5
foes. After having been on the qut cice for seve-
raj minutes, in the hope Of getting shot that
might tell, the young giant yawDed azily, and turn
ing deliberately from the breastwork, stretched
himself out upon his back with his head resting a.
gainst one of the string pieces of the road. His
feet rested against the bottom of the dran and his
position, to Judge from the expression of his face
was one of superlative enjoyment Victor, too,
wearied with the labors of the last few days, after
short space, ceased, for awhile, from firing, and
following his example, stretched himselfby his side
"What are you thinking about, Prescott, asked
Victor-you seem to be in brown study"
"I am thinking about the fine times we had on
James Island" rejoined Prescott, turning on his
side and facing the speaker. 'We came off with
hurrah, anxious to meet the enemy, muzzle to
muzzle, foot to foot, and all that sort of thing.
Well here we are, and there is the enemy just to
our wish, but I would be glad enough to be back
on the Island, and fight the enemy at long taw
with mile, or ten miles of marsh between us the
rest of the war. Smelling is right pretty diver
sion, when there is bomb-proof at hand to.slip
into when the shells come too fast and too near,
but this driving back the enemy at the point Of the
bayonet is plagued ugly work, anywhere except
in the columns of a newspaper. We are going to
see the elephant before this campaign is over"
'Yes, we have hot work before us, for days to
come," rejoined Victor, thoughtfully. We can
not drive the enemy with our present force and to
lie here, it may be "a week or ten days longer, re-
peling one charge after another, will be drearl-
some carnage Prescott-oneof us may fall here. "
"I shouldn't doubt il" answered Prescott, in
cold matter-of.fact tone. ..-.. E.
II wish you to do me service, Prescott, If
stray bullet should chance to reach me" continued
Victor, taking from his pocket a memorandum
book and pencil, and writing down couple of
names with the address of each. "Here it is,
said he, tearing out the leaf and handing it to his
companion; "only two letters to tell where and
how I fell"
Zone to your mother and one to-why hey
how is this?" asked Prescott, with look of sur
prise-"Miss-" ....
"Hush Prescott" said Victor, coloring to the
fins of his ears-"Don't breathe her name in a
place like this. III fall, let her know how it went
with me, and tell her all I ask is, that she will,
when this war is done, plant rose tree above the
spot where my comrades lay me"
II hope to write to her in strain like little
better than penning an epstle on so dolefu an oc-
casion, replied Prescott, thrusting sad thoughts
away. 1T shall run in this style-'Harry Prescott
presents his compliments to Miss D. and will do
himself the pleasure to dance upon the occasion
of her wedding with Victor Garrett That is
little more to my fancy than planting flowers pos
sibly, by mistake, over the grave Of some lousy
Dutch mercenary, who died for the inspiring con-
sideration of eleven dollars month in peenbacks.
A deaths head and cross bones for those who Like
them, but cakes and ale for me, every timel But,
Victor, you are lucky fellow to have earned a
place in girls thoughts before you have been
here twenty-four hours Idon't understand it.
It now became necessary for Victor to enter into
an explanation, which he did with modest relue-