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

OF the infantry to the left in a body of
woods, given picks and spades, aud com.
manded to throw up earthworks. Grant
had made
SUDDEN DASH on RICHMOND,
and would attack in the morning. "A
.hls was the first time after the Legion
became cavalry that it was ordered to do
ms iatlgulng work of infantry, the mur.
nuns and curses were loud and deep, the
men averrlng that it was false alarm
ana that no large force had crossed the
james. Just before day, the work being
iinished ana the men resting and sleeping
alter their labor with guns and accoutre.
meh's lying about carelessly on the
ground, our videttcs were driven in. Our
oid soldiers knew the import of the
cracks OF the rifles in front, and there WAS
q scramble for the guns and cartridge
boxes and hustling into the bitches !;
ior IL must be known that brcastworks
were made 10y Lees veterans during the
war by digging ditch about two feet
deep anu three feet wide. throwing the
earth up three feet in front Here we
stald for three long days and foled the
enemy IN an attempt to surprise us. The
works were not charged, but a scattering
ire was kept up during this time at "long.
taw' the enemy evidently being afraid
to advance. The officer in command Of
Company L finding the ditch too crowded
ior comfort rcc!!ned oil the ground lust
back of il. The sharp whiz of bullet
above his head, at intervals, showed
plainly that he was the mark of one
elevated sharpshooter. Il Cherokee In.
dian named bly, in Company +, on our
ieit, at last espied him up tree, and
taking careful aim with his rifle sent u
shot at him, the result of which was
inown by Bly's laconic "AIe kill him"
ana there was no more sharpshootinr.
On this occasion Lieut.. Col Nicholson,
the gallant veteran of many battles, was
severely shot in the arm, his first and
only wound during the war from, which
he recovered.
After this the Legion was in a fight
near Fussel's Mill, and then with the
brigade it aided cavalry force under
Gen. Hampton to defeat body Of Fed.
erals near Samaria Church, driving them
to the James River under cover Of their
gunboats. In one Of Grants attempts
on Richmond strong columns were sim.
ultancously hurried by forced marches
along the Char les City, williamsburg and
Nine. Mile roads towards the city. On
the frst.naned road the Legion held
them at bay until relieved by infantry,
then marching RAPIDLY along the line Of
earthworks tn the next road, reached it
and got into position on either side of
the artillery in the fort just as line of
blue emerged from body Of woods
several hundred yards distant and dashed
for The works, supposing them to be held
by the battery Of artillery only. we'll
directed fire staggered and so demoral-
lied them that they in panic broke their
line, some retreating to the woods while
thc.greatest number flung themselves into
ditch running across the open space in
front of the Confederate works. at this
Juncture an officer in breathless haste or.
dered the Legion to the Nine Mile road.
AT the double quick we rushed dag.
onally across field for the works on that
road while black and blue column of
YANKEE NEGRO TROOPS
moved rapidly OH them in front. They
were gailantiy held at the time by two
guns OF the Palmetto Battery and sixty
mounted cavalrymen under command Of
Gen. Gary. We gained the entrench-
ments and opened deadly fire on the
negroes, at twenty PAGES, as we moved
along the line in the attempt to place our
flank opposite to theirs. The lines were
in two close proximity and theirs was
the longest. So we fought and drove
them i'll front Of us, while their right out.
fianked, turned our left and captured the
two guns. The Legion fell back as the
dusky mob swung around to its rear, but
rallying to the flag, carried by Col. Logan,
it charged the bowling horde and slew
them like sheep. When our left was
hard pressed two Of Company A were
captured and Immediately bay0hetted by
the blacks, who came over the works
shouting mo quarter" When they
were retaken the men Of the Legion were
SO incenscd that it was with difficulty
that the officers restrained them from
killing the prisoners taken. AS it was,
poor Strohecker aud comrade were fully
avenged. Thus Gary's brigade once
again saved Richmond.
This was the last formidable attempt
to take the city OH the north, and soon
after the Legion went into winter quar-.
ters near the battle ground of Seven
Pines. Here we pitched tents and built
huts, and managed to live in compare.
tive comfort despite the
SEVERE PICKET DUTY
on the White Oak Swamp, several miles
distant, which was the service of the
Legion for the winter But once during
the time were we ordered from camp in
battle array. 1t was an uncventful ex-
pedition of the brigade through snow
and ice to the Darbytown road, where we
were in line all day on our horses, shiy-
ering in the wintry blast, to return to
quarters at night, having had only few
shells to pass over our heads from the
guns of the enemy. Boxes of provisions
sent by the folks at home during the
winter would to some extent change the
menu of camp fare and pnt us in good
cheer. A great effort was made by the
Virginians to give the army of Lee a
dinner on Christmas of 1864. The
soldiers heard of it, and the anticipation
and expectation was of a great feast.
The day came and was we'll nigh gone
into night when the commissary wagon
brought our portion. The writer reCol.
lects receiving as his share n morsel of
bakers bread and the attenuated wing of
Rebel hen turkey. The winter wore
away and then came the evacuation of
Richmond, the retreat and surrender.
We were quietly ordered from camp and
during the night marched to the city,
which we reached at dawn amid confa.
grAtions, explosions and general panic.
The terrible excitement and scenes of
that day are impressed indellibly on
memory. We were hurried across the
river and for six days the Legion "fough,
and fell back" until Appomattox was
reached, and then came the finale, when