The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-06-27

On the right, tho trenches were within
twenty yards of the enemy's workR
The garrison was nearly cut of from the
spring and rivulet, and suffering had al
ready begun. Rswdon had, by inclinine
to the right, passed Sumter, and such
vas the rapidity with which the British
General marched that Sumter could
never gain his front. The only Ameri-
can party which harassed Rawdon on his
march was Col. Middleton, with thrsa
hundred cavalry and mounted militia.
Col. Middleton had been sent from the
Congaree to hang upon the rear of The
enemy, capture etragglers, and, particu-
larly, to cut off the foraging parties OF
Rawdon. This partisan corps, after Civ
ring the enemy considerable trouble, was
unfortunately led into O we'll planned
ambdsh and charged upon by Major Cof.
lin OF the head Of body of the roysl
cavalry. Middleton and his party were
so completely scattered that they. never
made their appearance again.
The Americans were of the opinion
that thirty hours would be sufficient 10
reduce. without assault, the garrison at
Ninety Six; but they dared not wait 30
long time, lest the arrival of Rawdon
would expoee them to .tota: overthrow.
In view of the circumstances, it was de-
termined to attack the place by general
assault.
! The Assault.
Midday, on the 18th of June, was ap.
pointed s.s the moment when, - 8 given
signal, the forces would advance to the
assault. Long poles with iron hooks
were prepared with which to pull down
the sand bags on the eneIny's fortiflca.
tions, and material was collected for the
purpose Of filing up the bitches. Lien.
tenant Colonel Campbell, of tho first
Virginia regiment, with q detachment
from the Maryland and Virginia bril-
gades, was directed 10 lead the attack on
the left Lieutenant Colonel Les, with
his legion of infantry and Kirkwood's
Delaware regiment, were charged with
the attack on the right. Lieutehants
D1val, of Maryland, and Seldom, of Vir.
gInla, ied rrn1 forlorn; hops on the eSlefe |;
Captain '.sndolph, Of LEGS legion. that
on the right.
The signal for attack was to be given
from the centre battery. At IL O'clock
/ the third parallel was manned, anu the
sharpshooters took their position in The
Maham tower. On the firing of the FIRST
cannon, which was the signal for the as
sailants to prepare for action, the Ameri.
can columns entered the trenches. The
men were full of enthusiasm. At the
hour of IL the second cannon fred, and
simultaneously and in good order the as
sailing columns, under Lee and Camp
bell, advanced. Cruger, If not expecting
the assault was fully prepared for It.
Ehe paTapets giooaGis. win pixies and
bayonete,, and through the aperturea be!
tween the sand bags the; riAemsn OF
Major Green moved down the ranks Of
the assailants. On an intermediate bat
terry Cruger had piaced his three pieces
Of cannon: These, rs circumstances
seemed to demand, he sometimes directed
sometimes on that led by Lee. Cruger's
mind was cool and prompt, and his men
| well trained and desperately brave. Tha
cannon were uso6 with tsiiinS sifsSs & tif,;,rii
the Americans. Col. Campbell and his
brave Marylanders and Virginians
pressed pressed ioT ward amidst showers OF leadeu
hail. No one Ainched. With the hooks
the soldiers were: dragging the eand bags
on the enemy's parapets into the ditch
below. The moment was near at hand
when Campbell would ascend the para
/ pet and terminate the contest in o nafid.
to-hand conflict. Major Green, who
commanded the star -sdoubt, discovering
tho progress which the Americans wero
making, and fearing the result of O hand.
to-hand conflict between the garrison and
assailants on the parapets, determined I'd
I try the bsyonet in his ditch as well as on
bis parapet. At sally port he sent out,
with small detachments, Capt. French,
of Delaney corps, and Capt. Campbell,
of New jersey. Taking opposite direc,
tions in the ditch, Campbell soon en-
c0untered Duval, and French Seldom
The conflict was dreadful The Afneri.
cans had to encounter the enemy on the
parapet and those in the ditch. They
stood their ground and fought gallantly,
until both Duvat aud Seldom were wound.
ed. Then the forlorn hope was, With
great loss, forced to retire to the, Ameri.
can trenches. Only few survived.
The most were left in the enemy's ditch.
The assailing column led by Lieuten.
\ ant-Colonel Lee was moro successful
Capt. Rudolph gained the ditch which
surrounded tho stockade fort and being
followed By the main column soon en-,
tered the fort, when the garrison fed to
the main works. Lee was about to make
in reducing the star redoubt. Gen,
Greene, seeing the slaughter which had
taken place in the ditch y, front OF the
star rednubt, and unwilling 20 sacrifice
any more of his troops, ordered Lee to
huil the sttl1uka1e and attempt uothins
more. The assailipg; column led bT
Campbell lay in the trenches, and that
led by Lee remained in the etockade uhs
til dark, when both wete withdrawn.
L Gen. Greene now determined toretrcat
60 avoid Rawdon. On the evening Of
the day after the assault the siege Was
raised, and Gen. Greene led mis- forces
across the Saluda and retrested RAPIDLY
in the direction of the Enoree.
The Riege of Ninety Six lasted fro.nI
the 22d of May until the 18th of June.
TIE American loss during the siego wy
Captain Mark Armstrong shot through.
the head on the day of che asaault. and
one hundred and eighty-fiye mon in
] killed. wnmn6efi and sniHain5- Tha ner.
rison lost eighty-fve. It is remarkable
that only one officer on "a Oh side was
| killed.
The failure to capture Ninety Six was
very notifying to both the officers and
men in the army. Whether all was
done, and done in the right way and at
the right time, that could have been done
20 capttie the place, cannot; at this late
date, be ascertain5d satisfactorily. At
the time Kosciusko was censufed on ac-
count of his slowness, and como thought
G5n. Gf5oIio 5iiviiiu haTo 0avfJff55tii sIiT;T15;
OF his own Judgment with regard TO the
manner of conducting the siege. Charity
bids US say that all acted their parts yail
from patriotic motives.
\ - = :,