The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-08-03
TIE WELDON RAILROAD.

VI ehe vlctors were mingled with IN,
kerry. '' anu mus
THE WELDON RAILROAD.
They made TO further demonstration
nnu time ran on in the same old groove,
Gntll The 2Oth of August, when heay,
liIlng was heard to our right, and couri
ers reported the Weldon Railroad can
urea by the enemy. Our brigade re-
celved marching orders, and that even
sng we quietly moved out Of the trenches
passed through the town and bivouacked
1n m the i'oydtown read foT the u;.;,;
larry the next morning (Sundav) We
marched down the Boydtown road until
we struck the Halifax, took that BEARING
70 the lett, in direction ofthe firing which
was gong OIL in our front. We soon
commenced meeting ambulances con.
sseying the wounded to Petersbury-littlo
iurtiier on we passed several who were
mTaitlhg Tor transportation TO the hospital
! was struck here by what appeared to
oe very inconsistent ard peculiar ac.
lions on the part of some of these. /
remember one, being wounded in the
hand, crying and moaning y;ieously.
"hlle another poor fellow, who had his
leg terribly mangled, was cursing him
Tor making SO much fuss.
We next passed Gen. Dearinc's cayal-
ry In line BY the roadside, and short
distance from them no came to very
much dlsorganized and completely dc.
morallzed brigade of infantry, the most
OF !hem down in ditch, hugging the
bottom as close as possible.
GEN. SAUNDERS.
About this time l was attracted by s.
cavalryman coming towards us with
something thrown across his horse in
front Of him, which l discovered, on
nearer approach, to be the body of an
officer. On inquiry was informed it
was that of Gen. Saunders of Alabama.
l had never seen him before, but his fca-
lures, locked in that cold and placid
sleep, death, appeared to be those of a
handsome man in life. We had now
reached the battlefield, the evidences of
which were on all sides i'll promiscuous
confusion.
Gen. Warren's corps occupied the in.
trenchments on the railroad at the point
we were to make the attack, and we were
IN easy range of their artillery, which
they opened upon lis Immediately. AS
the brigade was moving forward at the
double quick to get into position I saw
she'll strike one set of fours Of our reg
iment about the knees, and heap them
all in pile together. a. this moment
OF hurry none could stop to render need.
ful assistance, but pressed on, leaving
the poor unfortunates behind. Such,
alas, is war!
Gen. Malone was in command of the
troops at this point, and was conducting
the fight. Gen. Hagood reported to
him, and was Informed that We were on
the flank of the enemy, and would find
no difficulty in dislodging them and cap
turing their position.
MALONE AND HAGOoD.
This, however, proved to be most
egregious and disastrous error. We were
not on the flank, by any means; which
fact was demonstrated beyond all ques-
ton when we made the assault. But
Gen. Hagood was ordered to attack at
once, and vigorously, and he did so.
learned afterwards that Gen. Hagood
was not altogether satisfied with the rep.
RESERVATIONS made to him, and doubted
the expediency of an attack, as we had
no support, and WAS 10th to sacrifice his
men; but knowing the duty Of good
soldier too we'll, he did not hesitate to
execute orders emanating from higher
authority.
ONWARD, THE BRIGADE.
After reaching our position through
fearful cannonade we halted and faced to
the left, on the edge Of ravine about
100 yards wide. Here all the under
growth, which was very dense, and
great many Of the larger trees had been
ielled by the enemy. This formed an
almost impregnable abattis. 1t was i'm
possible to approximate anything like
the preservation of q line in working
your way through. ii tine depression OF
the ground had not been so great that
the guns of the enemy could not be
brought to bear upon Us, an perfectly
satisfied that we could never have sue.
ceeded in crossing, but after having
been tripped up numberless times by the
network of vines and branches of trees,
and occu sionally crawling, we at last
reached the other side, completely disor-
ganized and in great confusion. 4.
We were yet, very fortunately, protec-
ted somewhat by the hill in our front,
which enabled us to reform our line;
this we proceeded to do, as expeditiously
"a possible, in field Of corn about waist
high. Just at this time / chanced to
look in the direction Of our extreme left
and saw that the enemy were deploying
a force outside and at right angles with
their Notifications, in order to strike US
on the flank. l Immediately ran up the
line to the right for the purpose Of find
ing Gen. Hagood to report this intorma.
ton. Before proceeding very far / found
Capt. Molony, his acting adjutantgener.
al, and informed him. He instructed
me to return without delay and tell Capt
Gordon, who was in command of the
25th South Carolina Volunteers, (Eutaw,)
to make euch disposition of a part of his
regiment as would protect his flank, but
before could reach him the command
"Forward" vas given, ard the carnival
Of death commenced. hurried on and
Joined my company. Men were now
falling thick and fast ON all sides, and
the corn was being moved down as with
q sickle. Yct, onward pressed Hagood's
Brigade through this concentrated fire Of
artillery and infantry, undaunted, heed
ing not the pitiful moans of the dying,
or the stiffening forms of comrades who
had already surrendered unto Death,
and each pace forward the line melted
away US rapidly as water when poured
upon the thirsty earth.
THE GALLANT MOLONY.
l never saw Capt. Molony afterwards,
but shall never forget his attitude, dress
and manner, as last spoke to him. He
was standing perfectly erect, with folded
arms and a calm but resolute counte-