South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1884-04-04

Jackson was on one Of his flank move.
ments, when one of his couriers came
back and told our General to hurry
up his command rs Gen. jackson was
waiting for II to form in limo; we
knew then there was business on hand.
Our Pioneer Corps always marched
IN front OF the division near the Gen.
and staff, and was under direct tons
from tue Engineers, and consequent
ly we heard and knew more OF the
movements of the army than general.
ly falls to the lot of a private.
In short time we came to the
road leading from Orange Court
house by charlottesville, to Freder,
icksburg, and some other fords on tie
river and six miles west of Chancell-
orsville.
We were halted and the three d.
visions formed in line OF battle across
the road to the right aud left. one d.
vision in rear OF the other. General
Rhodes formed the first line, my divis.
ION the second, aud Gen. A. p. Hills
the third, facing to the East, just op.
poslte to what we were in the MORN
ing, as yet not q gun had been fired !,
every thing was still and quiet, the
troops were tired and moved about
noiselcssly, there were thick woods
aud underbrush on each side OF the
road with an occasional field or farm.
While resting in this position cou.
rier came TO us who was acquainted
with some OF our boys, and said we
were in rear OF the yankees, aud that
he could not tell h ;w it was, but we
would soon see the greatest move oil
the war. In few moments, Lieut.
Hendrix, one OF the E.. gineers, came
and said he wanted ten Pioneers, to
go with HIM to remove a blockade in
the road. | was one OF the ten and
we moved down the road in front and
commenced clearing the road of trees
that had been felled across il, there
were four pieces of artillery there
waiting to move forward, they I'M
llmbercd one piece, and we helped
them to get it over the blockade be.
fore we had it cleared, and then they
fired shot down the road and moved
forward, at the same time the three
lines OF infantry moved forward at
double quick with yell, anil / heard
afterwards that the gun fired was a
signal for all to move, and move they
did with q vengeance, and moved
everything in front Of them. We
soon got the blockade open and oil the
artillery through, and soon came to
another blockade. but soon opened ii.
| heard two or three shells come tear.
ing up the road from the enemy and
that wac all / heard from them until
we got to Charlottesville after dark,
II was q running fight for five miles,
took them completely by surprise and
our three divisions got merged into
one line Of battle and all going for
ward at full speed. Our artillery did
not have time to uniimber aud fire,
they had to keep in trot to keep up
with the infantry. We ran through
their camps, when they were cooking
supper, tents standing, and camp ket-
ties on the fire full of meat. / saw
big Newfoundland dog laying in one
tent as quietly as ii nothing was tran.
spring. | had nice chance to plum
der their camps aud search the dead,
but was afraid to stop, as we had to
keep with the artillery and near a
good many officers, and ] was afraid
they would whack me over the head
with their swords if they saw me
plunderiDg but the temptation was
too great, and would run my hand
in some OF the dead ones pockets as we
hurried along, ard got several knives,
pocketbooks &C., but no money.
saw q wounded man laying beside the
road and had gotten past him, and
noticing that be was ON officer | ran
back to him, to get his sword aud pie
tol. | asked him if he was wounded
badly? he SAID nc lac was sho through
the foot but thought he would lay
there until the fight was over, that he
was captain OF some Ohio regiment
/ took off his belt aud sword, aud it
was a very fine one; but found no
pistol in the scabbard. / asked him
where his pistol was, and be said 'he
supposed he must have LOST it in the
lig ht, that he did not know that il was
gone But thought that he had it
hid in bis bosom, so 1 unbuttoned his
coat aud searched him for il bat could
not lind II, and he declared he did not
have it, but he had a fine gold watch
and chain, and / was looking at Il,
when he told me to take it along, bat
| would not do it. and told him as he
was wounded and prisoner would
let bin keep IL bat | was sorry af-
forwards that did pot take il, for /
saw him after the battles were over
at the field hospital, and be knew me
and told me that / had not left him
ten minutes until some soldier came
along and took his watch.
1t was the 1lth u. $. army Corps
that we first attacked, and demoraliz-