Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1885-07-23
THE LEGION AT MANASSAS.
A highly Important Contribution "a
EiSt0ry.

~ ~
EiSt0ry.
Gen. Wade Bampton's Narrative of the
Battle--Some Serious Errors Cor
rected..The Defence Of the Robinson
House--The Legion Held the Key of
the Position and Saved the Fight--
The Charge Across Jackson's Front--
Justice Rendered the South Caroline
Troops at Last.
In the Century magazine of May
there appeared two interesting arti.
cles on the battle of Manassas, and as
reference was made in both OF these
papers to my command, "The Hamp'
ton Legion" I think it proper that I
should give SOME memoranda Of that
fight.
1t was the fortune of the Legion,
good or evil, as the reader may deter.
mine for himself, to be engaged from
an early hour in the morning until
the close of the battle on the ground
where it was fought and won, ard
this fact gives me I think. the oppor-
tunity Of knowing more Of the de.
tails of the fighting on the plateau.
s's->--- % p-r.--e0f'-------a-'-aI<t'r
Houses, up to the time at which my
wound was received. than any susviv.
ing officer commanding regiment.
As all the facts touching the civil
war can only be brought out by col.
lating and comparing the experiences
Of those who took part in it, I ven.
ture to give mine, as to this battle es.
Iecially. as some errors have mad
vertently crept into the various ac-
counts of it heretof re given. l hope
to be able to show how this occurred
and how it could naturally occur,
without blame attaching to any ore.
The two articles to which I refer are
those Of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston and
Gen. Imboden, and in these there are,
! think, one or two mistakes, not ma
terial as far as general results are
concerned, but important as touching
the part borne hy the Legion in that
battle.
THE MARCH TO THE BATTLEFIELD.
In order to give a full understand
ing of the events Of that day, as fer
as they fell under my observation,
must enter somewhat INFINITELY into
details, which, J fear, may prove
wearisome, though essential. On the
morning of July 81, my command af
ter having been on the railroad thirty
hours, reached Manassas Junction
about day light. and l reported at
once to Gen. Beauregard, from whom
fqseszyusf.z6f tsss.sf .Huvv'n pue7a
direction of the Stone Bridge, and TO f
hold myself in readiness to suppor'
any troops engaged in that quarter. d
In pursuance of this order we moved
from the Junction about sunrise. un-
der direction Of guide, towards the 4
point indicated. The guide, soon after r
we came within range Of the artillery ;
FIRE, retired without leave and with
out notice. This was near the Lewis =
House, and just as we were passing it, +;
leaving it to our right. | met conn' ,
try boy on horseback who informed
me that the enemy, in heavy force.
had crossed Bull Run at Sudley Ford
and were advancing towards the I
Warrenton turnpike. My guide hav- /
ing deserted one, and not knowing
vhere the Stole Bridge was, l deter
mined to movemy command in the
direction of ,eavy mnsketry fire
which we heart from our left, and
which came from the encounter of
Evans brigade w;h the Federals near
sudley For: Just at this point, near
the Lewis House, 1 met Col. James
Francis Piston, of the 4th regiment,
Jackson's jrigade, moving his com
mandie6 opposite direction from
ours, to take 1 suppose, some position
to which he had been ordered. Know
ing him we'll. gave him the informa.
$tion had received from the boy, and
Legion moved on rapidly toward
tie frBg: We crossed { SMALL branch
back Of the Lewis House, and follow
ing road through pine thicket, we
struck in flank column moving on
road into which our road led. In
quiring what troops these were, was
told that they were Bees brigade,
then Fastening to the support OF
Evans. 1t is important to bear THIS
fact in mind, for it proves that the
Legion reached the plateau where
the battle was fought at the same
hour that Bee did.
SUPPORTING ABATTERY AT lOocL
The Lieutenant Colonel Of the Lee
eion. B. J. Johnston, knew Gen. Bee
we'll and suggested that he should
ride forward to ask The General what
position we should take. In few
minutes he returned bringing mes
sage from Bee that a battery was
about to 90 into action and that ne
advised me 10 support it. This wac
Imboden's Battery, which soon alter
came into position, about one hundred
wards to the left Of the Robinson
House and about the same distance
south of the Warrente n turnpike. In
obedience to the suggestion OF Bee,