Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-09-17
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
A TERRIBLE ORDEAL.

BuC Lnere was one pdrG OI tHe COllleueT-
ate line which did not share in the tumult
and fierce resistance which was everywhere
else apparent. This was the portion held
by the division held by MAJ. Gen. Cleburne,
or, as all the Southern people know him,
"Pat Cleburne." 1t has been said of Gle
burne that he was the only man in the
Confederate army who could absolutely
control his men and make them hold their
fire until he was ready for it to be deliver
ed. On the day of this battle, when the
Federal advance began, it is stated that he
said to his troops that he would shoot any
man who would dare fire a gun until he
gave the word.
This was the explanation of the omnous
silence all along the portion Of the breast
works held by his force. Probably the eff
feet Of this can best be shown by repeating
the words of Federal colonel who was cap
tured in this battle, and who described it
the next day:
Said he:
"It was the most severe ordeal which my
nervous system has ever undergone. When
we began the advance we naturally expect
ed that the artillery would open upon US
soon as we got Within range and that, hav-
ing swept forward until we were in reach
of the fire of musketry, that would beg
to open upon us also.
II had been through so much of this that
1 had ceased to fear it, and always relied on
the excitement Of the occasion carrying me
forward but here we ran for some 200 yards
or more, and there was not a cannon shot.
Another hundred yards and still no ex-
plosion or bombshel or anything Of the
kind! now began to feel little strange.
Another 100 yards, and still no sign of life,
and my nervousness began to give place to
desire to halt. Another 100 yards and
we were certainly within range of mus
kerry; but still there was not one sign of
life in the entertainments in front of us !;
nothing to give cause for apprehension, ap-
parently except the waving of the COnfed-
crate flag above the works, as a light wind
blew.
"Now, over me began to come mortal
feeling of dread; Il feeling which never
before felt, and which can scarcely describe.
1 would have turned and fled but for the
fear of disgrace, which was stronger even
than the horror of death. But knew what
was coming, and determined by my exam
pie to inspire my men to brave it, no mat
ter how terrible it was.
"At length we were within scarcely more
than twenty yards of the entertainments,
when from all along the line protruded forth,
beneath the head-lOgs, scoresand hundredsof
muskets. l could see them as gave quick
glance down the whole front, and those i'm
mediately before me, particularly, seemed
slightly waving from side to side. There
was no mistaking it. knew that every
holder of a musket was picking out his man.
'"This continued for but few moments,
when above all other sounds, distinct and
clear, heard the command given, "NoW,
men, tire!'
"Instantly, from along the entire line,
there seemed, like alightning flash, to burst
forth a sheet Of flame and smoke. l was
struck, and fell senseless for an instant, but
when l recovered myself and turned to look
there seemed to be scarcely seven men in
my entire regiment on their feet.
''Then the fury of the combat arose above
either sight or sound. The whole forest and
mountain seemed to be on fire. There was
no army in the world that could have stood
before it.''
As an evidence of the correctness Of this
description, it may be stated, that after the
battle the Confederates picked up in front
of Cleburne's line 1902 dead and wounded
Federals.
STRANGE SCENES ON A MOUNTAIN
Within the compass of what was once, no
doubt, crater of Mount Lesson, California
there are boiling bodies Of water Of dimen-
sions from sixty feet by forty to those small
as imaginable, some clear as crystal, others
white with sulphur, alum, soda and salt
While some are gentle Simmering, others
boil furiously. In close proximity are
other springs, the contents of which are a
composition of minerals and earth of all
consistences, from huge cauldrons, which
remind one of great kettles of boiling soap,
to others like large churns of cream, so
thick as to be agitated with much difficulty;
and one that afforded considerable amuse-
size and shape Of the spout of teapot, and
emptied at intervals of several seconds
about one teaspoonful with great force to
distance of several feet.
On two different pools a substance is
brought up from the depths below, dries on
the surface, floats to the margin, and is
piled up in huge quantities resembling
lampback. A visitor says handful to be
thrown into a current floats away bodily
without dissolving. The surrounding en-
bankments seem to be of chalk-like torma-
ton, and from every aperture as small as
a mouse-hOle to the immense one whose
force cannot be estimated, so powerful seems
the condensation, steam is emitted with
greater or less rapidity, the noise Of the
larger exceeding that of any steam engine.
On lifting crust anywhere, the surface be-
meath, as we'll as the aperture, was found to
be crystalized with sulphur. Formations
Of CRYSTALS of the different minerals are
found promiscuously. Above one of these
seeming escape valves are large rocks,
which are completely encrusted with sui
phur crystals. Asif to heighten these Won
ders of nature, not ten steps from body of
water lay a large bank of snow, the greater
part of which consisted of that very curl
Gus phenomenon, red snow, so much so that
our fingers were stained as with dye in
COMPRISING a ball oft.