Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-04-20

~> .- NO. 1G.
detachment Of Kelly's South Carolina bat
terry under Lieutenant Race. This gun was
brought out at the evacuation, being too heavy.
The orders were to stand by It until the last
moment after all the troops were withdrawn,
and then to spike it. After sending out the
other artillery, and when the troops were all
gone personally attended to the execution of
the order. With that gun detachment J.. was
the last to leave that part of the line, made so
famous in the defence Of Petersburg! hot
Confederate was to be seen as we marched
down the line and through the covered WHY to
Petersburg. aiLN ss@. go
Captain McCabe, in the same account, has
failed to do justice to the men of Elliott's
brigade for on page 2S4, Southern Historical
Papers, december, 1876 he says "'The tlread
upheaval has rent in twain Elli0tt's brigade,
and the men to the right and left of the huge
abyss Iecoil in terror and dismay. Nor shall
we censure them, etc." Now 1 have al
ready stated that when reached the crater,
which could not have exceeded ten minutes
after the explosion, found Elliott's men stand
ing firm and undaunted, almost up to the very
borders of the crater. From my position in
Wright's battery, the whole of the line from
the raYine to the crater was exposed ito my
view, and witnessed the hand to-handenga
ment IN each successive charge made by the
enemy, and venture to say that more men
were then killed with bayonets and dubbed
guns than in any other engagement during the
war. The only thing separating our men and
the enemy in the same ditch were hastily
thrown up traverses, over the tops OF which
the opposing forces crossed their bayonets and
4
men contest every inch of ground, that the
enemy failing to press them down the line from
the direction of the crater, resorted to the ex-
pedient of rushing from the crater down. the
front of our works, and then by a flank move
ment mounting the works and jumping pell-
nell upon ElIiott's men in the trenches.
witnessed this maneuvre executed several
times, sometimes with success, but oftener
they were repulsed or bayoneted as they leaped
from tile works. In this manner did they gain
the little ground they held Of our lines tO the
left Of the crater. All beyond the crater was
hid from my view by the rim of the crater and
intervening ridge The only mistaken move
ment noticed was when one Of our regiments
the Twenty-sixth South Carolina Volunteers,
I think Smiths, attempted to leave the line
and occupy the open ground between the era
ter and Elliott's headquarters. 1t was an ef-
fort, gallantly made, to interpose and prevent
the advance of the enemy in the direction of
Cemetery Hill and the plank road. The whole
of this ground was swept by the enemy's s.rtil-
lery and musketry, from their main line, not
to speak of the fire from those within our
works. No troops could stand a moment ex-
posed to such fire, and such as did not fall
were Immediately withdrawn. Il think it was
at this time Elliott was wounded The sadest
sight saw was the wounded left in this, ex-
for ho1n
sank down in death. Any attempt to remove
them would have been vain under that FIRE. ~
1t was thus the battle ragged from daylight
until the arrival Of Mahone's division, which,
I think, was near II O'Clock. The troops un-
der Malone were formed in the ravine in rear
of Elliott's headquarters, extending from, the
covered way in direction between the crater
and the plank road. New hope was inspired
by the arrival of reinforcements, and not with
out good cause, for no sooner did Mahene's
men emerge from that ravine at a double-qdick
than did the immense mass in rear OF the era
ter break, and, without standing upon the Or
der Of their going, sought shelter in the cover
of their main line. The fire of the artillery
was increased, and as Mahone's men men neared ,.s
the crater, Wright's guns were turned Upon
the flying masses in front Of the salient. The
slaughter was terrific, and probably more men
were killed in the retreat than in the advance.
The victory was virtually won, but those OF
the enemy within the crater continued for
some time the desperate contest. In my opin-
ion they remained in thecrater more from fear
Of running the gauntlet to their own lines
than from any hope Of holding their position.
At 1 O'Clock, P. M, the white flag was raised
and the final surrender Of the crater made.
From the time of the explosion until T. g
charge of Mahone's division, the men Of FL
liott's brigade bore the brunt of the battle,
and with portion Of Ransom's, were the only
infantry troops that I saw opposing the adj
vance Of the enemy to Cemetery Hill and the
plank road, at least to the left of the crater.
70 the bravery and skillful handling OF the
brigade is due, more than to all other infantry
troops, the credit Of saving Petersburg on hat
day. -.T .r2J Fui' atl =,|Hh"ir 5'i 3i"
This account has been so hastily written,
and is so disjointed that fear it will not be
very intelligible. Perhaps, however, you may
extract a few grains Of wheat from the claff,
and if anything I have said will aid you in
giving 70 more correct account of that battle,
shall be- amply compensated for the time it has
taken to scratch it off. H1.han if,; ~
am, Colonel, very respectfully yours, ben
-.s. -, JAMES C. Corr.
BAD MANNERs.-No girl can be a lady who
J
fussiness and pretence, the absence of modest
stiffness and humility" are, all over the coun-
try the curse Of girls schools, reaches its last
limits in the city high schools; street car full
of the older girls of one of these institutions,
overdressed, eager for the notice of one OF the
passengers, talking in q loud ''hollerin', "',on-
Rdent to the last degree in the power OF their
own attraetiveness, ignorant of what reserve
means, and anxious that every word they say
should be heard by everybody within ten rods,
is perhaps as disheartening q spectacle OF the
kind as our civilization presents, because III III
dicates the ABSENCE of all moral and social
training from the most important seats of ed
ucation we have. When these girls marry,
they still continue to live in an atmosphere OF
sham, and are victims to sort of false shame
about their mode of life. Not one in a hun,
dred of them has been prepared by training to
meet anything in the shape of an unexpected
visit or intrusion. with cheerful courtesy or
even calm fortitude. On the contrary, the
school influences, in nine cases out Of ten,
have helped to give to the discovery by stEan-
ger that they do not always dress and eat as
they seem to do on gala days, the air of ca
lamity which the strongest natures cannot be
expected to resist. The result has been both
in the United States and in England, almost
to extinguish simple and informal hospitality.
An average woman, among plain people,, is
crushed by a friend dropping UNEXPECTEDLY in
to meal, and sits at the table in silent and
ffustered pain, whereas her education ought to
have prepared her to meet such crises with
smiling front, if not with a positive enjoy
~F u. 4.