The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-02-22

| ro,,oS ~ "'es anu federals being in
reverse TO the order Of the first battle
a signai victory to the South was the
result. The Legion's part in this battle
was very conspicuous and eventful Il
swept ~
| lhhEE LINES OF TIE ENEMY
il1hl It's 'front.', capturing three stands Of
co'orS and battery of artillery. So
completely did it demolish Durvoa "a
IonaVes that they were never afterwarI.
rcorganized. ""'n'
Following the lead of the new idol.
.zed Lee, the Legion with the army cross.
Ell the Potomac River near Leesburg an.
gaglng with the enemy at Boonesboro; and
South Mountain, but it was at ShornS'
burg on the 10Th and 18th of Septcmbsr
that death with q relentless hand deri.
mated the ranks of this dauntlcss ,nl
intrepid regiment. Trimmed by previous
'osses IL went into this battle with nine
| commissioned officers and seventy.iye
rank and file. OF this number tiftv pri.
Vates and non-commissiOned officers were
hIiieu or wounded, five commissioned
officers we're killed and two wounded
NO single company could muster cor.
porals guard, and thus dwindled a once
strong regiment was for the time formed
into two sparse companies. By an i'm.
petuous advance the Legion had pene.
trated the enemies lines, and being flank
ed on each side and opposed by reinforce
ments IN front was compelled to retreat
TO escape complete annihiation from The
deadly concentrated fire Of the foe. II
was during This
RAIN OF LLADEN HAIL
that the color bearers we're killed in surh
quick succession that tie flag fell to The
ground and the men hesi,ated to lift il :.
seeing it lying in the dust, Major Dinple
seized it and held it aloft to gen! tho cal.
liant act with his life. With devoted for.
titude Private Marion Walton, of Edge.
field, next rescued it and bore it safelv
out of the tight. For this brave deed he
was appointed color.sergeant. Fearing
the loss of the colors under similar cir
cumstances it was deemed best to return
them to the State for safe keeping, and
the Legion after this fought under small
battle flag, presented by the ladies of
Lieut. Col. Logans family. This flag
was received while the Legion, on its
return from Maryland, was at Charlottcs
vile, Va.
The fruitless victory Of Sharpsburg
caused the return Of the army, and after
few weeks of camp life in the Valley of
Virginia the Legion Marched to Freder.
icksburg and went into winter quarters
1t was during the dull days of this win
ter, to give diversion to the men and
keep them in spirits as we'll as proficient
in drill and manGuvre, that the SNOW. ball
battles were introduced and fought by
the soldiers of Lees army. Led by their
generals and line officers, regiments and
brigades of Southern soldiers would in
mock battle, vie with each other with an
earnestness bordering on seriousness.
The missiles being snow balls no dam
age was done except when a piece Of ice
would accidentally become incorporated
in the ilakey projectilc. A confusion
would be the result, giving the wounded
an acceptable off duty spell Of few
days. These days Of fun and frolic we're
very shortly brought to an end by the
gathering of the enemy on tho Rappaha
mock, and then was fought
THE BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG,
q terrible defeat to the Federals and
glorious victory to the Codfederates, in
which the Legion participated with slight
loss.
In the spring of '63 Lee having de-
termined ON second advance into Mary.
land the Legion was detached with the
rest Of Jenkins's brigade from the main
army and stationed near Richmond rs Il
protection against the Federals under
Gen. B. f. Butler OH the Peninsula. 1t
thus escaped the horrors of the bloody
field of Gettysburg and the retreat into
Virginia. During this time the Legion
was recruited, reinforced and thoroughly
drilled, and beyond a few excursions and
skirmishes on the Peninsula had quiet
time. Soon after the return of Lee from
his disastrous campaign in Pennsylva-
MIA the Legion rejoined tue Army of
Northern Virginia, and when Long
streets corps was ordered to reinforce the
Western army with this portion Of the
army reached Chickamauga in time to
participate in the closing scenes of that
hard won battle. The subsequent camp
ing and fighting around Chattanooga was
attended with much hardship and suffer
ing.
THE SIEGE OF KNOXVILLE,
by Longstreet, was the next act in the
programme of the war, in which the
Legion took part-made interesting by
alternate assaults and sorties. The Rev.
William Thomas, for coolly and bravely
administering bodily and spiritual COM
fort to badly wounded comrade between
the lines under fire during one of these
passages of arms, received we'll merlted
praise from his commanding officer and
was appointed chaplain of the regiment.
The attempt at starving out Burnside and
his army having failed. the additional
unfortunate disaster of Missionary Ridge
compelled retreat towards Greenville,
Tenn. While in this neighborhood, on a
cold wintry day, the commando. OF the
Legion rode up to the quarters OF GER
tain quartermaster, when the following
conversation took place: -,
"Hello, Gary, where are you goingF'
"I am ordered to Richmond, captain,
and want some money and clothes TO 60
with l do not known what 1t is tor, ou'
I am satisfied it is for MY benefit"
The money and clothes were furnished
by the we'll provided for quartermastel
and Gary sped to the Capital. In lew
days he returned and as commander OF
the brigade issued orders for each regl'
ment to report to headquarters, Inc
number of men able to provide them
selves with horses. Strange to say, every
, man of the Legion reported ability tc
nrocure steed. Nothing was thought ol
This unusual order to infantry. Ihe
brigade believing it to be mater o.
moonshine until it was aroused on
certain morning in early spring oy Int
glad and exulting whoops ana yelis o.