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

Shrollna ire broad Atlantic separates the
Green Isle of their birth from the spot
beneath which they rest in dreamless
sleep. Though foreigners by birth they
became citizens from choice. The peril.
they 80 proudly encountered, the priya.
tlons they so patiently endured. the
dauntless manner in which they rushed
to death proved that their love for Moth.
erland did uot dctract from their deyo.
tion to the country in which they lived
and for which they died.
1t is admitted by all shat the struggle
at Spotsylvania was one of the mos,
fiercely fought battles of the war. The
defence lade by the Mississippians and
Carolinians is among The boldest and
most brilliant recorded in the annals OF
martial history. They held their posi-.
ton against force vastly superior in
numbers for over eighteen hours, during
which time they were without support,
food, wa:cr or rest. They retired only
when ordered TO do so.
AFFECTING INCIDENTS.
Many affecting incidents occurred during
the fight. A lad, belonging to Orrs
Rifles, was walking rapidly to the rear.
On arriving at the inner line of works he
met staff officer, who gruffly asked.
"Wherc are you going ?" ITO the field
hospital the boy replied. "For what
purpose?" ITO have iny wound atten.
ded to-" exclaimed the gallant boy, at the
same time opening his coat and showing
his bleeding breast. The officer stood
abashed, begged his pardon, and told him
to hurry to the surgeon.
A member of the Thirteenth seized a
rifle which Federal was in the act of
firing. Although the bullet was lodged
in his shoulder, inficting n painful
wound, he jerked the rife out of the
FederaPs hands and knocked him sense
less with the butt.
One Of the Fourteenth, Sc he :.o"n.oa,
the works, was wounded in the arm and
captured. During the"parley" he man.
aged to make his escape and brought with
him Federal sergeant.
The Twelfth took O number of pris.
oners, some Of whom remained with them
until the following morning, and whose
cartridges were fred at their friends. One
of them remarked that the Twelfth seem
ed 10 be fond of fighting.
During the charge the color r-bearer of
the First, &c. T.. Whilden,) who, though
stranger to fear, was feeble in health
and totally untitled for active service. on
reaching the inner limo was scarcely able
to keep up with the command. In fact
he was stumbling q! every step. The
officer commanding the color company.
seeing and plying his condition, offered
to relieve him of The flag and to carry it
himself. He relinquished it on the Off.
Ger promising to restore it 10 his keeping
when the regiment would halt. AS the
command arrived at the next line Ensign
Whilden came rushing up, took the flag
and bravely bore it throughout the fight
In passing over the ground i'm front of
the outer line the day after the fight one
of the soldiers picked up two bullets
which were stuck fast to each other.
They must have been fred from opposite
directions. Some one had them photo.
graphed and waggish fellow wrote on
one of the cartes, rive met, twas in q
crowd"
It is not claimed that the brigade be-.
haved better than other Confederate
troops would have acted in like position.
They discharged their duty. They upheld
the martial renown Of the State to which
they belonged, aud they accomplished all
that valor and self.sacrifcing heroism
could. Their fame has been eloquently
and truthfully told in the polished pages
of their gallant comrade and gifted
chronicler, Capt. J. +. J. Caldwell. Every
district in the State was represented in
its ranks. 1t lost nearly 600 men at Spot.
sylvania, almost half OF whom were kill
ed or died of wounds
HEROES AMONG HEROES.
1t may seem strange to single out in.
stances OF individual bravery in fight
where all were faithful and firm, one reg.
iment behaving rs we'll US another, where
they displayed Spartan courage and ex.
hibited Roman fortitude but among the
many heroes were two who belonged to
the First Regiment, one to Company az"
the other to Company L." which com.
panies belonged to Charleston. Surely
these companies were among the best In
the service and but few commands can
point to as long death roll as they, the
former (the Richardson Guards) having
lost three officers, tho gallant and genial
Capt. @. II. Axson, the bold and brave
Capt. @. l.. Boag, and the cultured and
courageous Lieut.. Robert w. Rhett, while
the latter (the Carolina Light Infantry
left their four officers, who accompanied
them to Virginia, dead on the field OF
battle-the fearless and efficient Capt. G.
d. Barksdale, the daring and determined
Capt j. w. Chambers, the accomplished
and heroic Lieut.. John Munro and the
dashing and devoted Lieut.. E. G. Du-
Bose. But little has been said of them,
yet if the record of their services and
sacrifices were written it would read like
n romance. Whilst the fight ragged fierc.
est, and men fell thick and fast, Sergt. A.
F. O'Brien, of Co. /, left the trench and
stood OIL the bank where he could com.
mand better view of the enemy.
Coolly and deliberately would he aim and
fire. He seemed to be insensible of the
danger that surrounded him and held his
ground until bullet shattered his right
arm. Before going to the rear he gave
his canteen of water to one of his com.
rades. His arm was amputated. Sergt
Philip II. Force. of Co. l., like his fel
low soldier O'Brien, had received two
wounds before the campaign of 1864
He stood on the bank and was as calm
and collected as if he were drilling in
camp. For time he seemed to bear a
charmed life, as every one near him was
shot down-he alone remained unscathed.
He was in full view of the Federals
within easy range of their guns. His
clothing was perforated by bullets, the
stock Of his rifle was shattered, he took
another and continued firing. His com.
rades begged him to step into the trench
he laughingly remarked, "By and by.'l
a bullet fired from the angle pierced his
throat, another entered his forehead-he
dropped dead.
JAMES ARMSTRONG,
Captain Irish Volunteers, (Color Compa.
n.y. First Regiment South Carolina