South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1884-01-11
BIT son1 cAslxn.

sr sonn cAslzn.
Pflv.,. Go. a asa q i.s..sy. s.o..-.l,
Brigade. ln Di.sn - Corp, Army q
Sos'hsra virsiaia
[cox1lg rD.]
My particular ~ ia and ,ness mate,
William j. Blue, u myself lay down
together, throwing blanket over as
and couversing OH $6s probable fate
the next day W6sd been in line
of battle several tiu1E and had a great
many false alarms. ht we all knew
there WAS NJ false = IN THE time.
That the two arinie3 Law facing each
other and that u bi9 battle would be
fought the next d. 81: that we were
on the evo OF experieh cling the reali-
ties OF war IN the mot horrible form,
which was br0thav gsin,t brother,
father against son and Kindred against
kindred, aud our own country
torn To pieces with all tue horrors of
civil war.
While laying thus, l was nearly a.
sic q. wheL he reused me up and
said he wanted To make bargain,
with me, which was if either of US got
Killed the next day the one who sur
vlved should see the other buried. if
we kept possession of the bat,l4 field.
l told him | would certainly do that
and We pl dyed ourselves according
~. l then remarked that perhaps we
would escape uuhnrt or wounded; he
SAID, No, dom want to be wounded
II AN sto, at all, want to be shot
right through tue heart
During the night we heard a gun
tired on the lett of the regiment, and
got up and walked down the line 10
see what had happened. and found
ono of the men had shot himself
Though the foot, supposed to lave
Deen done Intentionally, to keep ont
or the fight; but the poor fellow made
mlsc'iculatlon Us to where his toes
were ani held the muzze Of the gun
too tar up, blowing OF about half ct
his loot, SO that 1t had to be amputa-
ted.
July 21st dawIcd clear and bright
and tor the last time on many u poor
soidier, and with it the sh,?psnooters
III trout commenced sklrmishlng. We
Were ordered to ':alI in aud we're
marched up the run about eight miles.
anu then ordered back 70 Blackburn
Ford. Our company and the Hardy
Greys were throw ont as s.sirmlsli.
ers. opposite the ford, in q skirt of
woods commanding Il full view OF the
ford, and ordered 10 ire on the enemy
II the. attempted 10 cross. While we
were laying in that position heavy
firing was heard on our left-both in
iantry and artillery. In u few mo-
menis after, we we're ordered from
there in 'u.ouble Gnlck. joined our
regiment and went double quick up
the run To where the fighting was 60
ing on; the balauce of the brigade
was III line OF battle behind tile brow
OF u small ridge. We were halted
ut foot Of this ridge, aud Col. Cum
minSs told us that il was Gen. jack
SOILS command that cur regiment
should depend principally on the bay
onet that day, rs ii was musket re-
giment Some OF the boys were very
Keen for light and white we were
down the river, they we're afraid il
would he over before We got into it !;
one ia particular, Thomas McGraw
Was very anxious to get shot at the
blue coats, and when the Colonel
read Us the order about he bayonets
| asked Tom how he liked that part
OF the programme? he said that was
closer Quarters than he anticipated.
Oui regiment marched ~ the hill
and formed 'leit in froLt on the left
at the brigade, and on the entire left
OF orr army A we passed bv the
other re .kilnents. Tue shells were burst
iug and emitting down the pines all a.
round "a, aud we were shaking hands
and bidding farewell To those we
we're acquainted with, knowing that
IN a lew moments many Of Us would
be stretched lileless Oh the field.
AT tbs time our troops were falling
"dcH, but III good Order, aud nghiIng
every inch of the way. but were DC.
ing Overpowered aud anke1 by su-
pcIior numbers The were Gen.
Bees South Carolina brig tde, Gen
iariow's Georgia b igade ana the
Louisiana Tigers. They had resisted
the main portion OF the Federal army
and bad done all thut men could do.
and had lost egerely, bot yere.siill
holding them ia chccA while we were
forming. IL was there, and Mt this
time that General Jackson received
the ZANE Of
ONEWALL,'
and tue brigade the eve memorable
name OF StOncwaIl brigade. for Gen
Bee was dashing up and down the
line railylDg IIs men, and exclaimed
as he ga ns, Here stands General
Jackson and his brigade like a stone-