The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-05-12
Where the Palm etto Troops Fought and
Died.
[FRoM OUR owN CORRESPONDENT
HRNDERsoN's HOUSE.

HRNDERsON'S HOUSE.
BULL Run BATTLE-FIEID, May 4.
Your correspondent arrived at Fairfax this
morning, and, rambling through that ancient
and tlilapitated burg, lie bebcld the Southern
Memorial Cemetery. and the long eastern
slopes where the Palmetto boys campcd so
many weeks, drilling and picketting and sklr-
mishing in the very teeth of the Grand Army
The silence of these hills weighed Opprcssvely
when contrasted with the inultitudinous life
there apparent but eight short years ago. On
the road to Ccntrcrillc utter dcsolation and
decay was evident, and few solitary chlmnics
marked the places where hut and mansion
alike had disappeared in masses of weed
covered ruins. The great ripping line of bate
ries and rihle-pits, which were reared on Cen
treville heights in 1862, were yet standing
almost intact, looking grimly down the WIDEN
ing miles of road, stretching over silent hills
and through voiceless valleys toward Alexan-
drla. But the flags had long been lowered,
and the black "dogs Of war" carried to other
fields. But amid these sad souvenirs of the
past It was pleasant to see the fresh upspring
ing OF the early grain and the promising fer
tility of the new-sown fields. The plain on
the right of the Bull Run road, SO long occu-
pied by the First South Carolina Brigade, was
freshly broken up for wheat field. But here
and there on the route were remains of picket
huts and the stockade of the tents, scarcely
pcrcpctlble save as green ridges In the rank
grass. This road was battled for until fit
ransom for an empire was poured out on Its
fiinty surface; butnow It is mere farm lane.
leading to fence drawn squarely across 1t, no
more highway, but a cut-ie-sac.
Crossing the Run on the debris of the Stone
Bridge, we asccnded q little way to where the
little detachment of the 4th Regiment deployed
in the face of twelve advancing Federal regi-
ments, massed on the opposite hills, and null
tlplIed their firing and magnifcd their
strength, until Tyler thought that the main
army confronted him there. The rest of the
4th, with the Mlssissipplans and Wheat's guns.
swung into line near Cartcr's, and met and re-
PEELED the first onslaught of the powerful flank
Inc columns. The contest In these woods was
deadly The Federals charged again and again
on this little band, which meanwhile swept the
ground with rapid volleys until overborne by
numbers, and melting under the convcrgent
fire of cannon, they gave back; but their
work was done, the southern left was safe,
and the impetus and elan of the attack was
deadened 1t has been we'll said that the
4th South Carolina fought the first hour Of
the battle. The Pittsylvanla house is a
fiass of ruins now, and the underground
has sprung up luxuriantly under the trees and
In the fields about. But the tide of battle soon
rolled to the base of the plateau above Young's
Brauch-thc columns ofattack became lines of
assault, the Confederate lines bent as the blues
clutchcd footholds on the crest, and expand
ing, swept them off again. The Hampton
Legion grappled with brigade near the road,
swaying back and forth like two strong men
wrestling-Kershaw and Cash pressed the
United State regulars near Sudlcy-and amid
all this hot and disastrous collision, the steady
fire OF Kemper's and other batteries crashed
across the valley to Sherman and Griffin,
greeting. In the little yardof Robinson's house
10y Iii dead and wounded, blue and gray. And
the superb double battery Of tfs Federal army
had gained position ON the plateau. Bee had
fallen, and Barlow also; gaps were opening in
Jackson's ''stone-wall' brigade, and the day
was going badly for the army. Suddenly, un-
expcctedly, came help to the hard-presscd,
and panic to the Federals, and 1.-THE war was
carried into Rome" The starry flag disappear
cd from the hills. the wrecked regiments
strcamed down and away on the Smiley road
sharp attack Of FIVE regiments with the 81
and sth South Carolina, whirled them back
from new defensive line, and the army OF
the Potomac was routed.
There has been but little change in tl:c ply
steal formation of the llell since that eVentfu
Sabbath. The soii was not worth fighting for
The fruitless ster!ty OF the red clay allows bui
seant tufts OF grass 10 cover it, and cannot as
plre TO richer products. Perhaps this is well
and this sacred hill may not be made common
as other hills, by q garniture Of rust.,ag oo:n