Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-03-15

rear of the brigade on, our left, while 1 fol
lowed up our Old brigade. This was my
choice, partly because preferred to look af
ter my old comrades, aid partly because it
right, reaching out into the air, we were If
danger of being turned on that flank. l
therefore, kept near-the extreme right O
our brigade, except when occasionally riding
to General MCGOWAN to inquire for orders
or to report, and sometimes rode clear tt
the right of the line to observe what efforts
might be made to turn us or cut us off. This
was our danger, for advancing down a line
almost parallel with our breaStWOrkS, there
was great likelihood that some of the enc
mys reserves would be thrown upon thi:
flank. And we had no cavalry that thought
we could entirely rely upon. There was
about company of them out there, but they
were some distance off, and L thought they
did not keep sufficiently advanced to be OF
much service to us. And so we moved on
DRIVING THE TWO FEDERAL DIVISIONS
before us about mile, when we reached the
banks of Gravelly Run, or, l suppose, it,
main tributary, for the maps 1 have seen O
this locality, place the main branch OF thai
stream farther south, and about parallel with
our line of advance. The main stream does
take a northward bend just before the trib'
utary enters it, but that would not put before
our whole line the WatercOurse that stopped
| it. But whether our obstacle was the prlnci
pal creek or not, we found ourselves at the
end of an hour opposed by the swift, turbid
current of water, much swollen by the rains
Just beyond which was rough, steep ground
rendered particularly formidable by felleo
trees, all Of whose branches seemed to point
towards us. Besides, our constantfirin had
pretty well exhausted our ammunition.
A furious fire was opened upon us from
the opposite bank, but that was not regard
ed as sufficient to stop us. We were cOnsid.
rapid, and the sun, which had burst forth
lust after we began the attack, was exceed.
| ingly warm, and the ground we had passed
over was very heavy and difficult. More
over, it was necessary to procure fresh sup
| ply of cartridges. So common sense re-
quired halt. When
THE SCARCITY OF AMMUNITION
was made known, Gen. MCGOWAN ordered
details to the rear to meet the ordnance Wag-
ons that had already been sent towards us,
and he and used every effort to direct these
details by the nearest way, and to move
them with the utmost dispatch. But no
small delay resulted, and the third division
of Warren's Corps had time to establish
themselves and take in the whole situation.
The thirty-fve hundred Confederates had
unequaled dash and daring; but the sequel
may be imagined when six thousand fresh
troops were thrown against these thirty-five
hundred. And these are the figures cOnce-
ded by our enemy. Their own officers put
Ayre's division at 3,3O8 men for duty, Craw-
ford's division at 1858 and Griffin division
at $685.. The first two were the troops we
had driven before us, the last named was the
command that stayed us at Gravelly Run.
We fought all these men with the follow
ing numbers McGowan's Brigade, certain
ly not more than thousand men for duty ;
Gracie's Brigade, scarcely so large, certainly
not larger, and Hunton's Brigade, which is
estimated at from fifteen hundred to seven
teen hundred and fifty. Judging by the
eve, should not think there were as many
as fifteen hundred of the last mentioned
brigade engaged there certainly was not
that number on the field when my attention
was called to them. Wise's Brigade was
not engaged, as I have said, except, per-
haps, at long range {; and even 1T was Op-
posed by Miles Division Of the Federal ar
my, which must have numbered more than
10000, probably 15,000me
We could not pass Gravelly Run. The
fresh division of Griffin poured it's six thou
sand veteran soldiers against our front and
right flank Miles advanced his large divis-
ion against our left. We received no rein
forcements we were never fully supplied
again with ammunition ; we were weary,
and we knew how greatly we were Outnum-
bered. At 2 o'clock or little later the ene-
my began to move us. But we were always
very sluggish people on the retreat, and
we did not allow ourselves to be hurried
now. We had to retire before flank fires,
but we
CONTESTED EVERY FOOT OF GROUND.
Our line reformed and fronted the enemy
several times, pouring a most accurate fire
upon every point where Federal made
himself visible. They never attempted to
charge McGowan's Brigade they content
ed themselves with picking us off as we
stood before them without protection, and
encircling our flank with their far-reaching
lines. On the left they assailed mere bold
ly. Miles Division pushed its adversaries
so closely as to capture prisoners, and it is
said, one or more regimental colOrs.
AS we fell back found Hunton's Brigade
next on our left-at least Gen. Hunton COM
were of his brigade. I do not mean to dis
parage Gracie's Brigade, but I do not know
what became of it. Possibly it became so
mixed with the other two brigades as to lose
it's distinctive organization, in the manner
described by Capt. Davis in the sketch be-
fore referred to. Gen. MCGOWAN made
A LAST STAND
when about in front of the point where our
works crossed the White Oak Road, and at
the distance of about four hundred yards
from it. He was readily seconded by the
men, and the following reminiscence shows
how cheerful they were:
Twas wearing course soft wool hat, so
badly shaped and loose that the wind fire.
quently blew it clear away from me. Fin
ally to make sure of it, I passed my hand
kerchief-a white linen one, or as white
as soldier in our army could keep any
thing-over my head and tied it under my
chin, as an old woman does when she has a
toOthache ora
MISERY IN HER FACE"
The hat had been ugly enough by itself, il
if had e9s5 z ~ y # fhe srectare msi ,
have been rather absurd. AS | rode
along the line, reminding our men that we
were not accustomed to running before Yam
KEGS, and urging them to stand FAST 1 no
ticed first a smile then a giggle, and finally
regular "haw-haw !" and then wherever
l passed 1 was told that looked very fun
ny. I am not sure but some poor joke:
were actually gotten up about me-. Thi:
was one time in my life when L rejoiced tt
be made sport of. What gallantry that was
which amused itself with jests amid the tu
mutt and slaughter of battle!
Gen. MCGOWAN now directed me to ride
to Lieut-Gen. r. H. Anderson, who, as HI
was to be found about where we left thu
works, to procure some artillery to protec
our right flank. 1 left the line quite steady
in its place, awaiting the attack, and rod'
at a gallop to the works on our left making.
slight detOur westward SO as to avoid, IL
same measure, the balls thatwere hyingp pref
ty fast between our brigade and the breast