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

tne nignt, IN ofdef tnat tho soldiers might
have chance, to cook their meagre IA.
tons. He1aid that he would cheerfnlly do
SO, but he knew OF no command which
could be spared for the purpnEe; he,
however, suggested that should seq Gen.
rJackeon and endeayor to obtain assist
ahcef fromihim. After riding long time
in search Of the latter I fipaily discovered
him alone, lying upon the ground, asleep
by the root of tree. / aroused him and
made; known the half.stafyed .eopdition
OF my troops. He Immediately ordered
Lawt0n's, Trimble's and Hays brigades
TO our relief. He exacted of me prom
ise that / 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 flour, as we were still without
meat ! nnfortunstelyt the night was then
far advanced, and although, every effort
WIS made amid the darkness Of the night
20 get the wagons forward, dawn Of the
morning of the 18th broke npon us be-
fore many of the men had time to do
moro than prepare the dough-. Soon
thereafter an officer of Lawton's staff
dashed up 20 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 rations 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 q
litter, and the only Confederate troops,
left on that part of the field were some
forty men who had rallied round the gall
liant Harry Hays. l rode up to the latter,
and finding that his soldiers had expend-
ed all their ammunition. 7 suggested to
him to retire to repief;sti his cartridge
boxes and reassemble his command.
The following extract from the official
an idea of the bloody conflict in which
my two little brigades were about to en-
gage: Is is.
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
a third IF Trimble's and all the regi-
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,
Trimb!e and Hays retired to the rear,
and Hood. of Longstreets command,
took the position from which he had
been before relieved.
Not. far dist.nt in our front we're drawn
up, in close array, heavy columns Of Fed
eral infantry, not less than two corps
we're 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. Wofford in
command Of the Texas brigade, on the
left, near the pike, we moved forward to
the assault. Notwithstanding the over
whelming odds ofover 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
hadlost in the corn field fully two. thirds
/ of its nun1her9 and -ehnlaa reakh of brave
men, whose deeds ~ere suriooorded save
in the hearts ol r'vots unes at home, were
| moved down in neaps to tho right and
left. Never before was SO continuously
litronbled with fear that my horse would
| further injure some wounded fellow-sol-
dier, lying h, tless upon the ground.
Our right flank during this short, but
seemingly long space ofitime was toward
the main line Of the Federals, and after
several inefectual efforts to procure rein
:orcements, aud our last shot had been
fred, I ordered my troops back to Dunk
| ard Church, for the same reason which
had previously compelled Lawton, Hays
and Trimble to retire.
MY command remained near the church
with empty cartridge boxes, holding
| aloft their colors, whilst Frobel's battery
rendered most effective service in posi-.
tion 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 Jul
supply of ammunition, and returnedto
our position in the wood near the church
which ground we held till late hour in
| the efternoon, when we moved son ewhat
further to the right and bivouacked fol
1.-the night. With the close of this bloody
day ceased the hardest-fonght battle O.
the war.
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