Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1868-02-06
CHAPTER II.

Two months of hardship, anxiety and almost In
cessant warfare had elapsed, during the sad and
ever memorable hours of which, many and many
poor fellow had passed into the spirit land. Many
from our own company were missing. Some were
lying in the hospitals about Richmond and Peters
burg, wounded or sick; others were asleep in their
blankets under the beautiful clover, and in the COOL
peaceful earth, and others were exposed to the
tender mercies of shome-guards, away of in dis
tant prisons. -s...
Our brigade, which had left Charleston over
three thousand strong, had been reduced to the d.
mensions of full regiment, while some Of our
companies had frequently paraded with
seventy to eighty men-now mustered about fifteen
or twenty, present, absent and accounted for.
One day in those sad years which are gone
those years to which we now look back through
our tears-I found myself away outin a corn6ed-
and very near the enemy-as vidette, or advance
picket Our division had halted, after march Of
forty-fve miles, and were hastily throwing up o
temporary line of defence. 1t was near dark when
the officer, who put me on duty, instructed me in
what direction to look out for the enemy; so, 60
ing Immediately to work with my bayonet, spoon
and tin cup, scraped up respectable pile Of dirt
before me, and quietly awaited Developments ="
The night passed away quietly enough but as soon
as it became light, the developments which had
been waiting for, came kissing and bowling over
my head in the shape of cannon balls and conical
shells The Yankees were evidently firing at some
thing considerably to my rear but, knowing, from
experience, that this storm Of shot and shell was
the prelude to on advance, began to get tolera-
bly, correct idea of the duty devolvng upon one in
nv situation. I arose cautiously to my feet and
looked to the rear, to discover, possible, the e1-
act position of our piclets and to select the best
route for retreat, should that necessity force it
self upon me- This done, gave my undivided
and ''prayeful attention" to movements of the
enemy to my front 1t soon became evident that
the enemy had already thrown out bis line of skir.
mishers, not, however, from any observation OF
mine, but from the fact that our pickets, behind
me, were firing rapidly. From their position, they
could see far beyond the field while my view was
so obstructed, by the growing corn and the high
ridges that I was at loss to discover what had
drawn their fire. was debating in my mind the
propriety of falling back to the picket lines, when
nv attention was arrested by an object lying in one
of the frrows, not more than ten yards to my left
A second glance revealed the fact, that-whatever
was beneath the banket-a rifle was leaning a.
gainst corn stalk near by. Without moments
hesitation I sprang from my little earthwork, and
seizing the rifle with one hand and pulling away
the blanket with the other-what do you suppose
I saw?
Feeling quite satisfied, dear reader, that you
would never guess correctly, l will crafty your
very natural curiosity, by informing you, that
rebel soldier was sound asleep beneath the blanket
and that it was no other than Eddie Williams
As I kneeled beside him and gave him rather
rough shaking, he started up into sitting posi-
ton and looked about him in much bewilderment
and evident alarm. 1t was no easy task. to arouse
him to consciousness of his situation, or to a
knowledge of surrounding circumstances
"How long have you been out here, Eddie?" l
asked in whisper.
'Don't know" he replied rubbing his eyes and
yawning.
"Come!" said I, giving him another shake,
"wake upl The Yankees are advancing and we
had better get out of this as fast as possible
There! listen how our pickets are fring!
(which way are we to run?' he asked, now
fully aroused to consciousness of his danger and
the necessity prompt action.
'Come inl" shouted somebody from the picket
line, 'the Yankees are advancing right upon you ~
and, moment after, score Of our men arose in
different parts of the field and rushed, a la t,oo
forty, back to the picket line. then discovered
and for the first time, that Eddie and myself had
been links in chain of videttes, running the en-
tire length of our picket front
"Follow me, Eddie, and stoop as low as posi-
BILE as you rum" I said "Now for it, thenl-
come on!'' And away we went, as though his
satanic majesty, himself, was after us, with q
sharp stick This running over corn ridges, with
shower of hot lead coming in the same direction,
and much faster, too, is by no means, as interes-
ting and laughable as it appears in print As a
negro once said-when chased by bull across a
cotton feld-it was millions fuh de fence" upon
this occasion, and mot one cent for tribute"
Before We reached the "fence,'' however, Ed
die stumbled and fell; and, as [ turned to help
him up, I saw, not twenty PAGES behind him, q
Yankee soldier crouching amidst the corn, and ia
king deliberate aim at his PROSTATE form. To my
great joy, however, his cap snapped and his rifle
missed fire, and, the next moment the unfortunate
and rash Yankee was rolling in the dirt mortally
wounded by slug from rifle in the hands of one
of the pckets. Eddie and myself reached the line
in safety-both Of us ''vay much affected" l as
sure you.
The Yankee skirmish line appeared soon after
and made some remarkable, desperate, and gallant
efforts to drive in our pickets but it being abso-
lutely necessary to hold the position, and having
been ordered to do so, at all hazards we were conf
PEELED to dispute the ground with desperation,
amounting almost to frenzy, and which resulted
in complete success. ..
"And, now, Eddie" I said, as 1 threw myself
YEARLY upon the green clover beside him, about
an hour after the little fight let me hear what has
befallen you since we last met. -
Nothing of any consequence" he said.
"Pshawl you can tell me where you have been
since you were wounded how it comes to pass that
you are no longer an orderly to General -;
what company you have been assigned to, and a
host of other things, which am particularly anx-
ious to hear from you.
He looked at me, with those roguish blue eyes,
as lay at his feet, and, with his cheek resting
against the barrel of his rifle, said
II cannot imagine how anything concerning
myself can be of particular interest to you, MIR.
Forester"
'There you go again!" said I. "Don't mister
Jon,+ Hiatt Won ronnind mo