The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-12-11
THRILLING INCIL EMF OF TIE WAR.
How HngOod Rescued the Flag and Saved
bis Briaado Hror, Capture.
NFom General Beauregards History.

| bis brigade frou, Capture.
From General Beauregards Hi;tory.
1t was during the attempt to regain the
use Of the Weldon road by the Federals
on the 2lst of August, 1864, that General
Hagood, of South Carolina, distinguished
himself In q personal encounter with q
Federal officer.
Owing toinaccurate reports OF his scouts
General A. p. Hill, who commanded the
Confederate forces against Werren's ex.
petition, mistook the exact position of
the enemY's line on the left, aud, through
General Malone, who labored under the
same error. Hagood's brigade was ordered
to press the rear and flank of the FEEDER.
ais. He was to be supported by five bri.
gades OF Mahones division, supposed TO
be already in front. The brigade drove
the skirmishers from their rifle pits, but
found itself in presence of n strongly in.
trenched line, crowded with men and or.
tillery, extending right aud left MS far as
could be seen. The five brigades of
Malone were not there. General Ha.
good saw at once what perilous
strait he was In, and stopping himself,
shouted again and again the command to
halt hnt the crash and rattle of twelve
or fifteen pieces Of artillery and probably
twenty. five hundred rifles, which had
now opened upon them at close range
dro Sned his voice, and the fury of the
oa,.!!e was upon bis men. Moving for.
ward with the steady tramp of the double.
quick, aud dressing upon their colors,
these devoted men, intent only ON carry.
ing the position before them, neither
broke their alignment until 1t was broieu
by the irregular impact upon the enemy's
works, nor stopped 10 FIRE their guns ill
their rush to obtain the parapet was re.
When General Hagood saw his men
thus rushing upon certain deatruction,
and his efforts to stop them uuavailing,
ne felt that IL they we're to perish he
and Martin and Orderly Stoney, he fol.
lowed the advancing line. In ffty Yards
Lieutenant Martin fell, shot In the knee:
few steps farther on and Captain
Molony fell. shot through the head, and
Hagood and Stoney alone reached the
works-the latter shot In the shoulder
but not disabled. The 25th and alst
regimenta being on the left, from the
oblique direction Of the advance, first
struck the works; and while they stag.
gered 10 get in the other three regiments
swept Oh. When they reached the ditch
there was from seventy five to one hun.
dred yards interval between the two
divisions into which the brigade had bro.
ken. General Hagood was with Major
Wiids, commanding the 2lst, who was
cheering on bis men TO renewed assault
(success now being their only hope Of
safety, when, looking to the right, he
gaw mounted Federal officer among the
men on the left Of the portion of the
brigade to the righ. with q regimental
color in his hands, and confusion and
parleeying Immediately around him that
6etokened approaching surrender. The
fight was still raging at Hagood's right
and left there was no cessation ON the
part Of his men except In the squad Just
! around this officer. and none whatever
that was perceptible on the part of the
enemy. They had pushed out from the
right and left line behind the Carolini.
ans to cut of their retreat, and this officer
Captain DAILY, of General Cutters staff
bad galloped out Of q sally port, seized q
color from the bands of its bearer and
demanded q surrender. Some officers
and men surrendered, but were not car.
ried in; others refneeG, but just around
him ceased fighting. General Hagood
called to the men to shoot him and fall
back in retreat. They either did not
hear him, or, bewildered by the surren-
der Of part of their number, failed to
obey. 1t was critical moment, and
demanded instant and decided action. In
few minutes the disposition to Burren.
der would have spread and the whole
brigade have been lost. Making his
wsy across the intervening space, ex-
posed to regular Gre by Gle from the
enemy's line scarce thirty yards of, and
calling to his men to fall back, which
they did not do, General Hagood
approached the officer and demanded the
colors, and that he ehould 60 back within
bis own lines, telling him he vas free to
do 60. He commenced arguing tha hope.
iessnesa Of further struggle, aud pointed
cut him short and demanded a categoric.
al repIy--yes or no. Daily was man OF
iine presence, with long, flowing beard.
aud sat witt. iiooosaausia rein upon, q noble.
looking bay that stood with head and
tail erect, and flashing eye aud distended
noatrils, auiveriDg in every limb with
excitement, but not moving In bis tracks.
In reply TO thin abrupt demand the rider
raised bis bead proudly, and declsively
answered, No! Upon the word General
Hagood sho. him through the body, and
as he reeled from tho saddle upon one
side sprang into 1t from the other, Orderly
s.oney seiziug the flag from bia falling
bands. There was TO thought OF surren.
der now the yell from tho brigade fol.
lowing the act and ringing out above the
noise Of battle told their commander that
they were once more in hand, and would
60 now wherever ordered. Shouting 10
them to face about, Hagood led them at
Q run against the line in bis rear, stoney
holding aloft In front the recapturcd flag.
The line melted before the charge; but
the fire was terrific, after breaking
through II. till the shelter of the valley OF
the branch was reached. Upon It's mar.
gin fragment from a schrapnei ahell
tore open the loins Of the horse Hagood
rode.
He Did II Once.
II never knew Sam Baldwin to tell the