The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-02-26

have chance to cook their meagre ra-
tions. Hesaid that he would cheerfully do
so, but he knew of no command which
could be spared for the purpose; he,
however, suggested thatI should see Gen.
jackson and endeavor to obtain assist
ance from him. After riding long time
in search of the latter finally discovered
him alone, lying upon the ground, asleep
By the root of tree. I aroused him and
made known the half.starved condition
of my troops. He Immediately ordered
Lawton's, 1rimble's and Hays brigad )
to our relief. He exacted of me a prom.
ise that I would come to the support of
these forces the moment was called
upon. quickly rode off in search of my
wagons, that the men might prepare and
cook their -four, as we were still without
meat unfortunately the night was then
far advanced, and although, every effort
was made amid the darkness of the night
to get the wagons forward, dawn of the
morning of the 18th broke upon US be-
fore many of the men had time to do
more than prepare the dough. Soon
thereafter an officer of Lawton's staff
dashed up to me, saying: "Gen. Lawton
sends his compliments, with the request
that you come at once to his support" !"
"To arms" was instantly sounded, and
quite large number of my brave soldiers
were again obliged to march to the front,
leaving their uncooked raticns in camp.
Still, indomitable amid every trial,
they moved off by the right flank to oc-
cupy the same position we had left the
night previous. AS we passed, about
sunrise, across the pike and through the
gap in the fence just in front of Dnnkard
Church, Gen. Lawton, who had been
wounded, was borne to the rear upon a
litter, and the only Confederate troops,
left on that part of the field were some
forty men who had rallied round the gal
liant Harry Hays. I rode up to the latter,
and finding that his soldiers had expend-
ed MI their ammunition, suggested to
him to retire to replenish his cartridge
boxes and reassemble his command.
The following extract from the official
report of General Jackson will convey
an idea of the bloody conflict in which
my two little brigades were about to en-
gage: :.
Gen. Lawton, commanding division,
and Col. Walker, commanding brigade,
were severely wounded. More than half
of the brigades of Lawton and Hays were
either killed or wounded, and more than
third of Trimbfe's and all the regl-
mental commanders in those two. bri-
gades, except two, were killed orwound-
ed. Trimmed in their ranks, and ex-
hausted of their ammunition, Jackson's
division and the brigades of Lawton,
Trimble and Hays retired to the rear,
and Hood, of Longstreets command,
took the position from which he had
been before relieved.
Not far distant in our front we're drawn
up, in close array, heavy columns of Fed
eral infantry, not less than two corps
were in sight to oppose my small COM
mand, numbering approximately 1000
electives. However, With the trusty'
Law on my right, in the edge of the
wood, and the gallant Col. WoAord in
command of the Texas brigade, on the
left, near the pike, we moved forward to
the assault. Notwithstanding the over
whelming odds of over ten to one against
Us, we drove the enemy from the wood
and corn field back upon his reserves,
and forced him to abandon his guns on
our left. This most deadly combat ragged
till our last round of ammunition was
expended. The First Texas Regiment
had lost in the corn field fully two-thirds
of its number, and whole ranks of brave
men, whose deeds were unrecorded save
in the hearts of loved ones at home, were
moved down in heaps to the right and
left. Never before was / so continuously
troubled with fear that my horse would
further injure some wounded fellow-sol-
dier, lying helpless upon the ground
Our right flank during this short, but
seemingly long space of time was toward
the main line of the Federals, and after
several Intellectual efforts to procure rein
forcements, and our last shot had been
fred, ordered my troops back to Dunk
ard Church, for the same reason which
had previously compelled Lawton, Hays
and Trimble to retire.
NY command remained near the church
with empty cartridge boxes, holding
aloft their colors, whilst Frobel's battery
rendered most effective service in posi-.
ton further to the right, where nearly all
the guns of the battery were disabled.
Upon the arrival of McLaws' division
we marched to the rear, renewed our
supply of ammunition, and returned to
our position in the wood near the church
which ground we held till a late hour in
the afternoon, when we moved somewhat
further to the right and bivouacked for
the night. With the close of this bloody
day ceased the hardest-fought battle of
the war.