The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1870-12-01

pointment; some two miles and a hal
had been hurried over when suddenl!
the clashiDg of pistols announced al
attack upon hy rear guard; at once
hurried man forward with orders Il
run the prisoners, &c, rapidly toward
Clinton by the first road leading in that
direction and halt if not overtaken
within few miles of Clinton; then
wheeling disposed my men on either
side eff road, L ordered then to fire with
their Speucers aud Carbines and then
draw pistols and. follow me with big
yell; meanwhile my rear guard dashed
in, the enemy coming into a lilte field
in disorder; my men fred rapidly for a
minute, then, drew pistols, and before
they could form We charged and re-
pulsed them handsomely, and following
up my success, we drove them back to
Mr.. Rayner's house where we learned
they were over o hundred strong
Here returned on my road, and find
ing my cattle scattered in every direc,
tion and my command divided, re-
9uested the citizens to take charge of
the cattle till called for, and proceeded
to overtake my advance; this done / dis
posed of my prisoners some thirty-nine
in number, By paroling as before, and
starting them in charge oftwo men to
Clinton, together with forty.one head
of horses and mules and.all the surplus
cquipage which had accrued to us in
the several engagements of the morn
ing; and now turning again toward
Bcutonvillc, just an night, ! ran upon
60 or 10 struggling infantry, and for
several minutes VIC were in wild
tumult, every man fighting on his own
hook; here twenty-one men were killed
and a number wounded aud captured.
Then moving back down to Mr.. Ray
nor's house we encamped for the night.
On the morning of the 18th at
three aud a-half o'clock, We were again
in the saddle, and by seven and a.half
o'clock VIC were upon the rear of the
Tenth Corps wagon haiu, twenty-six
men being my aggregate. / charged
some forty infantry, killing twelve and
wounding nuuber, capturing and
parolipg thirteen, and capturing two
wagons and eight horses. Here / skir.
lnished with the enemy's reur all day
until my men, who carried off my cap
turc returned; meanwhile the enemy
became alarmed, surprising Gen.
Wheeler to be in their rear with large
force, aud all the available cavalry was
to.look for them. This
bcingno bushels Of nine / changed
@Z1- -uua--marched for Raleieh.
camping for the night some WE'VE
miles from where I had been fighting,
and about the same distance from
Smithfeld.
On the morning of the l4th I marched
at an early hour toward Raleigh with
twenty-five men in the saddle, one OF
my men having become exhausted from
over work and exposure. About l0
o'clock I struck small squad OF ma
RAIDERS killing two and wounding others,
aad abeat ii o'clock we encountered
another party, killing a negro soldier,
and about III o'clock We ran into the
Twenty.thitd Corps wagon train, cap
turing some seventeen men and killing
ono in the first charge, after which l
had no trouble in capturing some ll5
wagons, together with their guards and
changing their direction southwark.
sent a detachment to hurry forward and
guard as we'll as possible, while l re-
NAMED in the rear with the remainder,
until I found myself pressed by large
body of infantry, whercupon | COM
menced cutting out mules and setting
fire to the wagons, thus destroying some
SO wagons and escaping with l6 and
large number Of prisoners and mules;
but during the evening circumstances
compelled me to destroy three ether
wagons, and the lack of force made es-
cape for prisoners as also mules; but l
got safely over the river at this ferry
this morning, after eighteen hours OF
travel, and my men having been in their
saddles twenty seven hours without re-
freshmcnts, with thirteen wagons hea'
vily loaded with bacon, hard bread,
sugar, coffee, &c, fourteen very fine
quartermaster' horses, one hundred and
ninety.four good mules, ninety;three
white prisoners and five negroes, all SOL
diers River very high and fcrry-boat
guarded, so that 1 am safe against at
tack until my command recuperates,
Respectfully and very truly,
Your obedient scrv't,
w. s. ASHBY.