The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1882-08-17

| was poured lnLO tneul lTOul InaG
direction. The 12th-the most
rapid and resolute command in
u charge ever saw-drove for
ward through the thickest woods,
and were soon lost to rs in the
great mnistrom Of the enemy's
lines; tho 18th and 14th had to
coutent themselves with resisting
the masses hurled against them on
the left.
CHARACTER OF THE FIGHTING.
| dislike to incur the suspicion
of that contemplate weakness,
vanity, but l can best describe
the character Of the fighting here
by relating what befell me and
those just about mo. When we
first halted and opened fire the
range of tie enemy's balls was
very high; indeed, I remember
reaching up with my sword to
the scars upon the trees to
show the men around me how
wild our adVersary's aim was, and
using that to impress upon them
the Importance Of low, accurate
firing on our part so as to destroy
the line opposed to us before they
ascertained our range. But the
other side soon depressed their
pim to our level, and then, in
spite Of the sapling trunks that
caught a thousand balls from US,
we suffered fearful damage. We
we're but one line, while the enc.
my, on account of their greatly
superior numbers, we're able 10
renew theirs more than once, SO
that before long we found our
selves much thinned and weary
as we knelt among our dead and
crippled comrades.
There seemed, at first, to be
other Confederate troops on our
right, not greatly separated from
us, who appeared to keep back
the enemy IN that quarter. But
after half an hour or more l heard
10 firing there that seemed to
proceed from Il continuation Of
our line, bat heard the fire Of the
enemy on that flank gradually
approach towards and centre up
OH US, attracted no doubt by the
firing Of our regiment. Pretty
soon this cross firing became most
confusing and disastrous, SO much
so that Lieut.Col. Shooter, com.
mandiag tho First Regiment,
yielded to my urgency and moved
the regiment a little back and
faced it so as to front pretty we'll
both fires. Orr's Rifles had in
the meantime connected with our
left. Then some other command
hot Of our brigade-moved out
from the direction Of the plank
road to our assistance and on our
right, but the impetus Of the on
ward pressing enemy on that
right flank pressed back every
thing, so that we had to align
ourselves along the plankroad
with our front at right angles
with our former front.
The troops on the left of the
road were not subjected to so
much of this fauking process,
but, after being Withdrawn a
space, held their ground very
well, especially after Thomas's
Georgia Brigade, Of our division,
were sent in upon their left.
There was at one time q demon
stration made to the left of Thom.
as, but skirmishers were sufficient
to stop this, aided as they were,
perhaps, by an open space there
commanded by several pieces of
our artillery. scales's Brigade, of
our division, was put in Oh the
right Of the plankroad. The two
regiments there gave place to
them, and then all FIVE regiments
the Twelfth having already
fought its way back into our lines
were placed on the left Of the
road and fought up to point
little beyond where the Twelfth,
Thirteenth and Fourteeth had
first begun their movement in
line. And thus the baltic ragged
and swayed, neither line making
any material alteration as regards
distance from the position il oc-
cupied al the beginning Of the
fray. The snn set and the twi
light fell, aud still the tumult and
carnage went on, till darkness at
length enveloped the great forest
and men lay down weary, sullen,