Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-08-13

moving west along the Williamsburg road
towards Richmond. Casey's division OF
Keyes' corps was mile west from Seven
Pines in the direction of Richmond,. on
both sides of the Williamsburg road, and ne
was supported by Couch's division, which
was firmly intrenched at Seven Pines. A
part of Couch's division was also stationed
railroad, and north of Fair Oaks station.
Gen. Joseph E. Johnston was then in COM
mand of the army around Richmond, and
being apprised Of the approach of Casey he
ordered Gen. D. H. Hill and Gen. Long
street to proceed along the Williamsburg
road and drive Casey and Couch back to
their intrenchment on the Chickahominy.
This order was intended to be put in opera.
ton early on the morning of the the Slst OF
May, but the attack was not begun until
about 8 o'clock in the evening. The delay
al divisions across the Chickahominy which
was thought by the Confederates to be i'm
passible from recent heavy rains, and these
divisions by engaging that part of the Con-
federate army which otherwise would have
co-operated with Hill along the Williams
burg road, changed the whole situation and
made new history of the battle.
The impetuous charge of Hilrs legions
against Casey's advanced position, which
carried them through the latter's camp IS
too we'll known to need repetition or de-
scription. Casey retreated in disorder to
Seven Pines and there formed junction
with Couch in his fortified position, which
was further reinforced by kearney's dlvls-
ion, which was hastened to the rescue from
Savage's Station to the east of Fair Oaks.
1t was in this state of affairs that the 9th
South Carolina regiment under Gen. Brat
ton was sent as part of and with Fighting
Dick Anderson's" division to complete the
rout of the Federals at Seven Pines.
When, therefore, the survivors of the
9th regiment got off the train at Fair Oaks
and stepped upon the Nine-mile road, across
and along which much of the bloody fight
ing of that day was done, it was impossible
to restrain their desire to rush at once to the
field of battle. Once on the road they ran
and yelled with all the vigor of twenty
three years ago to the place where they
crossed the road in hot pursuit of the flying
Federal army.
A stage had been erected for the speakers,
aud around it were grouped some 500 per-
sons who were we'll entertained by Gen.
Bratton, the chosen orator for the occasion,
who confined his remarks to the deeds of
the Sixth regiment, which was under his
command in the battle, and those of the
Fifth regiment and Jenkins Sharpshooters.
"In concluding his address to his fellow SOL
diers," writes the correspondent, "Gen.
Bratton said that the 5th regiment went in
to the fight with five hundred and eighty
one officers and men; that of these eighty
eight were killed, one hundred and sixty
seven wounded and twenty-seven missing.
Of the latter number it is now supposed
that all were killed except one, who was
subsequently, accounted for. Along the
Williamsburg road and on either side twen-
ty-seven hundred Confederate and about
three thousand Federal soldiers were left
upon the field wounded, dead and dying, at
the approach of the night of the first day at
Seven Pines. The fighting on the next day
as compared with that Of the first day is, as
is well known, matter of insignifcance.
Both, from that fact and the circumstance
that there is no historical dispute about the
result of the second days conflict" After
Gen. Bratton concluded his address, the sur
vivors were addressed by Col. J. H. Rion,
Congressman Hemphill, of South Carolina,
Lieut.. Phillips and Adjutant Splitter, of
the Camp Lee Veterans, and after boun-
tiful repast, the survivors spent the remain
der of the time at their disposal before re-
turning to Richmond, in visiting notable
spots of the historic battlefield.