The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1886-09-03
"REMINISCENCES
OF THE
MACBETH LIGHT ARTILLERY.
by ONE OF THRM.
No. H..

the relief OF Nicksburg, virtually ended when
johnson rctreatcd from Jackson. Let me run
back and give IN incident or two in connection
with it.:
Asfour troops were falling back towards Jack
son on the eth August, very much jaded and
dispirited, we met the brigade mail boy, who
had brought with him from Jackson acwspa-
per that gave most glowing account of grand
victory that Lee had gained over the Federal
arms in Pennsylvania. The story hal the
effect of putting new life in our troops, and
hope once more danced before our vision. The
inspiring news was never confirmed. During
the eight days we were in the trenches around
Jackson, the enemy kept up regular cannon
ado-many of the shells passing over our works,
exploded way down on Pearl River. It was
interesting to watch the burning fuse, looking
like fiery comet cutting its way through space.
After tho shells had passed far beyond and ex-
ploded among the women, children and other
non-combaants, then came the whzziug noise
they had produced rs they ploughed through
tho air in their rapid flight. II any had been
skeptical about the propriety Of lodging from
Kissing balls, they were now convinced that the
danger proceeded the noise, aud that it was the
lightning and not the thunder that did the
damage. As the novelty aud excitement of the
shells flying through the air like blazing torches
wore away, because of their frequency, the men
became less apprehensive Of their danger, and
were more reckless in exposing their persons.
It was owing to this that a mum Der of our men
were picked off by Federal sharp-shooters. l
remember seeing young soldier sitting on the
side of the breastworks, near our gun, eating
peach and making merry with comrade, killed
by minnie ball shot from the top of q tree
suite three quarters Of a mile away. A puff of
white smoke was the only way we had of know
ing from where the balls were coming.
One evening the enemy very suddenly devel-
oped signs Of IN intended assault on our works
The men wore summoned to their positions to
repel the anticipated attack. John Ison, who
was young man then, and not ovcr-large to
his age, said, as he was called to his position,
" it is hard to make man fight when he Is in
good humor.' So far as my experience aud
observation went, troops rarely ever went into
battle influenced by the emotions of anger.
An aFmy led against an enemy in rarS4ysm
Of rage would be insincibler Uowards wiikbrave
danger whom thoroughly aroused. What deeds
Of daring, then, might be expected of brave men
impcfled BY an uncomfortable passion of anger :?
While VIC were in the trenches the men had 20 oor
chances to forage or supplement their poverty
of rations by outsile industry. Some fine hogs
used to roam near the line Of breastworks, AMI
Ike Ison got permission to knock one up In
little ravine just in the rear of the works, Ike
put on portion of his pork to cook in pot he
borrowed frora Judge sIocksy's yard. The
psderals got the range and shot hole through
the pot, but Ike went on cooking. A little bull
let hole was not enough to deprive a hungry
man of his hard earnings
The Federal sbarp-shoo:ers became so annoy
ing that the 26th South Carolina regiment was
ordered out to drive them away That was
new regiment that WAS added to Evans brigade
when 1t left Charleston for the West. 1t had
seen no active service and its ranks were full,
numbering, perhaps, more than all the other
regiments in the brigade put together. They
wore good clothes and marched under n new
banner that had neither been s,iled or riddled
by bullets. In appearance the other troops con-
trasted most unfavorably by the side of this new
regiment The veteran regiments wore not only
dirty bNt ragged clothes. Since appearances is
the general evidence of judging, tho solliers in
good clothes always received tho lions share of
attention, rs we'll rs tho favors along the line of
march. IL young lady had an apple, a flower
or cup of water to give, the best dressed SOL
der boy always got it. The divine declaration
that "to him that hath shall be given" was re.
pectedly verified in q temporal sense on our
march through Mississippi. have wandered
far from the incident l star ted out to relate.
Just as the 2Gth regiment was ordered out
to drive off the pickets in our front, Mai
Graves, with oil of Breckenridge's staff, rode
up in rear Of our guns. The regiment went
over the breastworks in perfect line and in
superb style. All eyes, for quarter Of mile
on either side Of their position In the breast
works were concentrated on them. They were
the works. SO grand was their martial bear
ing that Maj. Graves involuntarily exclaimed
"there goes my Palmettoes." How these words
made my Stqte pride leap Imagine what fall
IL had, when, oil Of . sudden, without The
slightest cause, as far as could see, the mer
were thrown into panic and came heller
skelter, pell NELL, back to the works. The
Holcombe Legion, dirty, ragged, and about one
fourth as many, then wen. out, chased tn,
Federal pickets away and held the ground ill
after night.
Now for on incident or two that took plac.
iB the camp. One night some Of our men
killed big hog that belonged to a blind man
Breckenridges troops had recently gone into
camp near the house, and the ol 1 mans suspi
cion fell on them. As an evidence that the
Macbeth was not suspected he sent the officers
one of the hams, and shoulder to one Of
the messes. We afterwards learned thai
o part of that moss aided in killing the hog
4 certain doctor, now deed, belonged to the
Macbeth. who had an uncontr rollnbe thirst "a,