The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-06-10
Dying With the Rear Guard.
We we're going to fall back!

right, left and center. 1t is next to q
panic. One false move will make it q
panic and 8 rout.
"The army will fall back in q more
favorable position" were the words OF
the general to the various commanders.
That meant defeat. 1t meant that our
dead and wounded were to be left in the
hands of the enemy 1t meant that we
had been outgeneraled and that the only
hope left was to withdraw and reform
in new position. The wagon train
had been moving for two hours, and now,
within three hours Of sun down, our bat
tle-line melted away rs regiments and
brigades were called in and divisions went
marching down the highway.
There were pale faces and timorous
glances among the old fighters. They
had laughed and joked each other on the
battle line, but there were no smiles now.
Put o soldier With his back to the foe if
you want to see a coward
The enemy are passing forward. They
are exultant and reckless. There is only
the one dusty, crooked highway for hunt
ed and hunter. One charge of cavalry
down upon our rear-a dozen screaming
shells from battery planted on this hill
will be the signal for such a panic as
only soldiers ever see. Men will throw
away everything that impedes flight
they will frighten each other with looks
and words-they will forget their battles,
their scars and their flag and think only
of swifter pace. Who will be the rear
guard7 There comes an order to settle
the question.
"The General orders the Third to form
in rear and fight and fall back-fall back
and fight. Leave your dead and wound
ed where they fall. Hold the enemy in
check at all hazards. On this depends
the salvation ofthe whole army p
Fight and fall back First fight:
WhereY Begin right hereon the crest of
this hill The enemy is coming up the
road at gallop, cheering end yelling
aud determined to ride over us. Steady
now! Here we are in battle-line across
the highway, with company on each a I,
flank along the fences. The road is full!
of the charging cavalry, and with q grand
yell they are upon US. It lasts but a
minute, and as the wind whirls the smoke
away We see that the road is full of men
and horses-some dead as the estones under
their feet-some writbing in the torture
of ghastly wounds. There is a cheer as
we see the remnant gallopihg back out of
range, but it dies away as re count thir-
ty Of our own dead and wounded. In
that one minute of fierce fighting more
than one hundred men went to the dust.
Fall back2 No! This is our battle.
line for q while yet. The wounded are
lifted from the dust and laid upon the
turf, and we are yet at the work, serving
friend and foe alike, when the enemy
comes again. 1t is cavalry. as before, but
while they are massing as best the narrow
limits will permit, a battery on the hill be-
hind them shells ,ls as if it meant to leave
no one alive. Fence-rails 20 flying
dust and dirt are sent higher than the tree
tops-trees are cut short off or splintered
as if Tightening had spent its fury there,
but no one moves. Our order was to die
on the line.
"Ready. menl Hold your fire until
every bullet will count We can hold
this line until dark !''
Here they comel Beyond US is the
last of the great wagon train, followed by
brigades which are looking back at us as
women do at twilight shadows. If they
can only break through US!
Not q word-not whisper in answer
TO those wild cheers. Not movement.ir
the lines until the nearest horses are
burned with the wave of fame which rolll
out and enwraps horse and rider with 6
crimson robe of death. They pass on
Horses leap over the dead or tramplt
upon them. Sabres and bayonets drink
blood, and men fight on after they have
fallen. j
1t is over again, and ne have beater
them back. The highway is an awfu
sight to look upon as the smoke foa sui
lenly away. There is no longer a patl
through the dead. The road is packed
with the dead and wounded-literally
packed.
Fall backl Yes. Their infantry ha
come up and fanking parties are being
pushed forward. We leave eighty-si:
dead and wounded to their care, and W
trail arms and withdraw at double-quick
One company has been wiped out of ex
istence-one man out Of every eight il
our ranks is left to mark our battle line
Fall back and fight. A quarter of
mile down the road and We form anew
our hanks protected by swamps. The.
are coming after US, rendered more wary
but at the same time more desperate AM
determined. They cannot use cavalr.
here, but they push forward line afte
line of infantry, 10 be checked, broken AM
hurled back by fire more hot and stead
than has been on the front of Who'll
brigade.
Fall back They are pushing cavalr.
and infantry along by-road to cut u
off. "Leave your dead and wounded !!
How many this timeP We have tough
twenty minutes and lost forty-two men
Double.quick foe4 half mile and W
form in the beud of road. They can
not flank us on the right but the left ant
front are open for both cavalry and in
fantry. Here is their chance. They fiji
to the right and mass in the fields. Brig
ade after brigade wheels into place
batteries rush into position, and we ar
sullen and silent, while whole division
masses for battle against mere hand
full !"
Here come their skirmishersl The!
are feeling our position. They skulk ant
creep and crawl and dodge, and embol
dened by our silence battle line move
after them. The creek below US is ou
dead line. Every man says no to him
self, aud not u gun is fred until the pur
ling waters wet the enemy's feet. Thel
there is crash, a reeling to and fro, ant
the waters of the creek are damned bacl
by bloody corpses.
Fall back for new line! Who is no
with us as we move away7 Twenty
four of the handful mark the point where
the enemy came nearest. Eighty-six-
forty-two-twenty-fourl One hundred
and fifty.two men gone from one hand
full, and yet darkness is long way off
Fall back and fght-6ght and fall back
Every battle-line is marked so that i
cannot be forgotten. Every bend in th'