The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-05-11
IEE AT FALLING WATERS.
r,.rce Onslaught of the Federal Cav
70 N,netoen Men Against Thousands.

,vho, was soldier carried small
~ mnTs hook in my side.pocket in which
Az = ssccustomed to jot down some of the
y s:jants as and accidents of the heroic
s'uo :. of the Republic. "Forsan ct hec
,n,uinisee jupabif are the first words
lM ,hs little book. Perhaps it will de.
Isl u, tnV 10 . to think of these things hereaf-
ssu' - the meaning OF the phrase when
! I'D =, in our own language. How
suue, os,s the words? In these days of
Eue " and md order, it does delight us to call
,ct the shadowy past, when
"a WARS RUDE ALARMS"
,.,urbed our land throughout all her
[ 0rJers The little book is worn and
dOJ You can see where rain and dust
.rs left their marks. but still it 10 q
s. Another entry in the little book is i:
ATussday, 14th of July, 1869. Taken
.,;soner. while on skirmIsh, near Falling
5ys,ers BY the Ninth ~ New YORK.
Tsrslry aud marched to Bakersyille
.even miles) through mud over the an.
AIe Beipg bare.footed it was rather
hard. Drew rations OF crackers, pork
and coffee"
Eo,hers they would have but little mean.
Inc but to us they are the record of as
,nHfsndjd fight as ever added lustre to
iRs annals of the Army of Northern
Virginia, when the disparity in the
Numbers of the opposing forces and the
importance of the position held by us
ars considered. We we're nineteen in
number, commanded by two officers.
aTbe enemy brought into action more
stbau brigade of dismounted cavalry, q
battery of artillery and q full and ex-
tended line of infantry was taking posi-
ltion when we were surrounded and cap
tured. The purpose Of the enemy was
1 to cut of two divisions from crossing the
Potomac. Ours, to hold them in check
and prevent them. We did 30, but were
! left 10 our fate and the discomforts and
starvation of Northern prisons.
On both occasions when the Army of
Northern Virginia recrossed the Potomac
into Virginia, Orr's Rifles constituted q
part Of the rear guard. Inll862 at Botei-
ers Ford the brigade, under command of
Gen. Maxcy Gregg. gave the final and
effective check to the advancing columns
Of Mcclellan. So terrible and destruct.
i've was the reception given the invaders
that many of them were drowned in their
precipitate flight across the river. 9th
eu were shot in mid-stream, and the
waters of the Potomac, crimsoned with
their blood, closed over them forever. I
had no part in this engagement. At the
great battle of Second Manassas, where
We met Gen. Pope, who boasted that his
headquarters were kept in the saddle"
had the bad luck to get one of my toes
knocked out of joint and was unable to
keep up with Jackson's tfoot cavalry"
These superb soldiers thought nothing
Of marching all night and fighting all
day on rations of roasting ears and green
apples. It is, however, with the closing
scenes of
THE RETURN FROM GETTYSBURG,
in 1868, that this imperfect sketch has to
do. On the 4sh of July of that year we
left Gettysburg. The storm-spirit held
high carnival, rain was pouring down in
torrents, the streams of the country were
flooded aud the roads were cut to pieces
BY the artillery and wagon trains. Mud
was everywhere over the ankles, and in
5oue places above the knee. Darkness
was visible. One could not distinguish
bis fle.leader. We kept our places
guided by the splash of the footsteps of
the men in advance. We held on our
way until we reached Hagerstown, in
Maryland, where we halted for several
days. Hagerstown had pleasant associ-
atloas for me, at least, for it was there
my mother spent her childhood. The
Polomac, in impetuous majesty, lay in
our way. The floods Of rain had swelled
its stream and swept off everything in
the way of bridges, go that q crossing
was out of the question before the l4th
OF July. There we halted and faced
Inc oncoming hosts who were crowding
upon US. There was
NOTHING TO EAT,
neither bread nor meat. So We sat. down
without rations and with little ammuni.
non. On the 18th flock of sheep fell
INTO our hands and were slaughtered,
o9t this afforded only unsavory and In,
digestible rations. We had no salt aud
no bread. and, in q. drenching rain,
cooked the repulsiye meat upon our
iamrods: We managed, however, to eat
enough to keep soul and body together"
ala when the dismal night Of the 18th
:etlled down upon us we were ordered
lnlo line, and were coon on our rnarch
again 70 the Potomac and the sacred soil
" virginia. The rain continued to
pour down in torrents, and the black
Iueu heavens hung over us unrelieyed
'13y the light Of single star. We stead
ny lramped forward through the live
,S9ng night, and morning, with weeping
sky broke upon the brigade, hungry,
worn and exhausted, but still undaunted,
WI every man held his place in line as
only q veteran could. At last the river
So,,h Sas 10 sig sight and passing by Pettigrew's
1,ui.n ~ ~ Carolina Brigade we were marched
~ 'ne rlght OF the; road and ordered to
STACK ARMS AND REST r'
:. az the welcome news we fell upon the
1.eialng ground. We had scarcely com-
,osed ourselves when great commotion
,ose among the North Carolinisns. A
orce OF cavalry was riding deliberately
onward q in the direction of the barn
';Is1a, .lste Pettigrew rested. They had their
,,aC'o.ns ,.o over their shoulders, and their
;saS was furled and carried low between
~e.f ;srsi, horses. Suddenly their bugles
auuea oto u the charge, the column depl0yed
aso aS,a me, raised their flag, drew their
-O,cs and pistols, sprang forward with
THE RuaH OF A wfsraLwlsp
'ns, ls ground trembling baneatb their
lo.ses ~ feet, and in d moment were In
NC Nc midst u: of the resting North Ca.olini-
nus. asr, Inc confusion was great, but mo-
,ha Jhsntafy. Tho indomitabie veterans,
raD, ,nO nad 6eenled by the gallant Petit
b0 blow, rallied and stood TO their guns, and
No na 'e'reat OF the enemy was as sudden
g Se as hurried as their advance. Some
;. Huf men were killed with the sword