The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-05-04


as politically poured out as that of the
other. Daring are the feats performed
oy the rank and file. They mount the
works and fire into the faces of the Fed.
erals. who stubbornly stand in the Bloodv
Bend, and who are not by any means
deficient in courage. The dead alone ra are
at rest-their pale faces are turned to. M
mara the sky, along which dark clouds
tIoMn angrlly down. The sun is hidden
irom view. The rain is falling last it
iei!esnes the wounded who are without
"a'er 10 drink. and it removes the stains
OF powder and blood from the pallid ia.
ces OF the dying and the dead. The
sacleu name Of mother is whispered by
youthful lips, and the crimson life cur.
rent Is ebbing from breasts which this
morning beat high with hope and hap.
plness. Who will comfort and console
mat mother in her cherished Carolina
nome when she is told of the death of
i ner fond. faithful and fearless son :?
lake me to my wife and child % is
Ia,ntiy spoken by one whose heart has
an nut ceased to beat; the light of life
leayes his eyes-his wife is widow, his
chiid an orphan. So close are the com.
oatanls that the clothing of some Of the
men men Is scorched by the powder flashing
from the guns.
THE OAK CUT DOWN DY BULLETS.
There is huge oak a few feet from
the line, upon the tough trunk of which
the bullets rattle like hail. They are
chiPplng 1t away piece by piece. Day
aarEens into night, but there is no rest
NO relnforcements come to the relief of
the thin grey line which heroically holds
the right. Not single star is seen in
the sky, which now presents the darkness
of despair. 1t looks as if every man is
fated TO fall. Companies are left with.
out single officer, yet the men are
neither disheartened nor dismayed.
Though feeble from fatigue, they are
faithful; though few in number. thew
followed by shower of bullets. How
Tt, yearly ihe woe-winged hours wear away
Inc bullet are clipping the very heart
OF .. me large oak; if the firing continues
u VIII fall. "Look out, men!' The
tree is tottering-it comes tumbling
Gown, and wounds several Of the First
Regiment. The gloom grows greater.
but lew words are spoken. A comrade
asks, as the one next to him falls, "Where
are you wounded 2" "In the breast" is
ms reply Another asks the same ques.
tlon Of one who has fallen heavily to the
ground. There is no response. Death
has set the seal of silence on the soldiers
lips. His comrades lips quivcr as lie
tears another cartridge, for he has lost a
BOSOM friend-one who was his compan-
ION from childhood, and whose only sis.
ter is his wife. Every fash of the guns
lights up the ghastly faces of the dead,
with whom the ground is thickly strcwn.
Hearts throb with mingled pity and
pride-pity for the fallen, pride in think
ing of the blood and brilliant bearing of
the brigade. Will daylight ever dawn?
Will the tramp, the tumult, the terror of
battle ever cease? Tho Gring grows
fainter Daylight is approaching. a
whisper passes along the line from the
left TO move quietly to the rear. Slowly
and silently the movement is made; the
inner line of works is crossed, and the
brigade bivouacs within few hundred
yards of the Courthouse. The men can
scarcely realize the fact that they are to
have rest. For some time few if any
words are spoken. Every face shows
signs of sadness. In the mute lips and
melancholy looks can be read the dire
disasters that befell the brigade. A
painful silence pervades the scene.
Everything is rs stilla if it were biv.
ouac of the dead. The survivors of the
terrible struggle are not unmindful of
the gratitude which they owe to God for
having shielded them from destruction
throughout the fight. Many a head is
bowed and prayers are breathed from
many q breast Their faith in His good
ness, their belief in His beneficence
strengthen and sustained them during
the fury of the fight. The Angel Of
Mercy, though concealed in a pillar of
cloud by day and in n pillar of fire by
night, was still there to protect and to
preserve them from danger and from
death. Anxious are the inquiries, sad
are the replies that are made az to the
fate of comrades. So many arc missing,
most Of whom are dead.
AFTER THE BATTLE.
Information is received that the Fed.
erals have evacuated "The Angle of
Death" Detachments are sent out to
bury the dead. The scene that meets the
gazeis narrowing and horrible. The dead
ly half filled with water; it is black with
OF the dead are leaning against tho
been killed whilst in the act of firing
Most of them were shot in tho head, neck
or breast. Many of those who were re-
ported missing are found lying in front
Of the works; they were killed, and fell
into the very ranks of tho enemy. But
few of the dead show any signs that they
had undergone much suffering. Whilst
the eyes of several are open and their
jaws are extended, the others appear as if
they had died without a struggle. One
whose GOODNESS and courage shone ra-
diantly bright lies with his head against
the traverse. Were it not for the pallid
look and the blood on his breast, one
would imagine him to be asleep and in
the enjoyment oe pleasant dreams. The
gallant fellow had written to his wife ON
the eve of his departure from the camp
near Orange G. II. 1t was subsequently
learned that the letter reached her on tue
afternoon of the day on which he was
killed. How forcibly it recalls that
touching and tender passage in Thacke-
rays VANITY Fair''-one of the saddest
scenes in the whole range of English lit
erature-where Amelia Osband is engaged
in reading letter from her husband, all
unconscious of the heartrending fact that
he is lying among the slain at Waterloo
with bullet in his heart!
The tree which fell upon the First
Regiment is carefully examined. 1t was
literally cut down by bullets. Not a
shell touched it. On measuring the
stump left standing it is found to meas
ure oper fioenfy inches in diameter.