The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1886-09-10

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Knoll partly covered with palm bushss an
other shrubbery. Thus our battery was q,
usly concealed. s'e ,s''A ,Si 70
Two other men and myself were standipr o
picket IN this dump Of piass, while two or =,
omcers rode down to the beach, Awsv dov
the inlet we saw the white smoke rise from, usi',
iron-ciad gunboat. II turned its bow and cam Am
putting towards MS. The officers were n - 4,
rect line between US and the sunboat. on
came, followed by two others. The smoke .ro. ,,o
IN graceful columns and marked the ps,hva,
Of the vessels amid The clouds. Avsv In m
back ground We could see the nssts of IN
transpefA. The scene was sublime. 2 r.Sol
ooee turned obliquslyr 10, ths right fsom, ~,
pain Of the one In front. A PUT or sw,k,
from the front boat WAS followed BY a rsoort
and IN an instant > shell burst over our led.
IastantIy another, ,sad .anothas
sAts me vessel In ffsnt turned one side and
as quick as thought the whole vessel was hid
In smoke. When school boy had often an,
ana iooksd at the pictures of naval battles and
admired the grandeur they presented. But
this was no shadow, It wss the substance.
This was more than we could stand. and .
Nasty retreat to our horses was next in order.
Our horses were behind the little knoll on which
We were standing. BY this time all tho boat.
mad como up and were taking part in reduoiuo q
our battery. had a seven shooter. and a. 7
ran back to my horse II foil and nv foot struel
IL ana knocked It into the bushes, and had 10
stop to hunt for ii. The shells flew tbiok .,d
last. The pine tops rocked amid the fery bias,
oui battery was hid in smoke. The sun that
few minutes before shone On all its splendo O,
was Veiled in smoke got my pistol, however.
Inc enemy were training their guns ON our
oaaery. Our gun was disabled. Behind tho
sand MIL we remained until the firing ceased on
the part Of the gunboats. One of the boat.
had passed us aud had gone up the river and
began shelling the woodland. We mounted
our horses and rode back to our pioksts, only 70
nnd them in o state Of excitement, but eyerv
man was at his post. A dozen or so OF ~
federals landed and came to the house former,v
occupied by our pickets as headquarters. Thew
were under the protection Of the gunboat ali
the time they were on shore. A body of troop.
mad landed at White Point and come out a. far
as our battery. 1twas now necessary to find
out the full particulars before On official report
was sent to headquarters. To do this two men
were sent back as far as the battery, and to III.
Point, where they ran into the ensmy's scout.
and were fired upon by them. This ended one
OF the most stirring events which took n,ac.
on White Point during our stay there except.
dssEakas ssS sd Ssa e ss
After this the gunboat lay near the shore
80 near that at night We could hear the voices
Of those on board. At every hour through the
night We could hear the bell ring and the SEN
sincl cry out "alPs WE'LL" besides, he would
give the hour. AL the Islands were now in
the hands Of the enemy, except Jehosse. and it
was at their mercy.
We stayed about two months at camp Walsh.
We had plenty Of sugar aud drank sassafras
tea three times day, and eat rice until we
were tired out on it. AS q sanitary precaution
we moved our encampment every month or
two.
We moved to camp Taylor, about two miles
from camp Walsh. Here we remained until
the Spring had fairly opened. During our
stay here the Confederates concluded to ad-
vance their line and occupy Jehosse Island.
This Island was the property of eI-Gov. Aiken.
His negro houses formed q little town. with
church building, for his servants to worship In.
A broad and nicely laid off street ran from his
summer to his winter house. In fact, il was
beautiful place. few Of his slaves remeincd
on the Island. Jehosse was separated from
Edisto Island by Watts cut. Our pickets took
possession Of Jehosse about the first of March,
1862 They would frequently exchange shots
with the Federals. We would send scouts over
on Edisto and by q series Of skirmisbes keep
them annoyed. 1t. Bates, Of the Infantry,
and myself, with another man, went on a
scout just after our lines had been advanced to
Watts cut. We advanced on the house occu-
pied by the Federal piokets. They ran off on
our approach. We inspected the premises and
the general surroundings, took tour round by
little Edisto Island, aud returned to our pick.
cts. We had scarcely reached our line before
the Federal Infantry came in sight. Oue COM
l,any came up, formed line, and with their
long ranged guns gave us volley. We had .
few men ut the post who made ready to receive
them. Several shots were exchanged. Our
guns were not sufficient to reach them, so we
lay down and waited for them to come up. We
held the Island.
We run large "lighter' into the cut ont
night while the tide was up, turned IL across
the cut, and this formed o bridge. Watts Gu,
was canal about 40 feet wide, which separated
Johosse from "Big Edisto Island"
On the Goth Of March our troops made
raid on "Big Edisto" and offered the Federal
o pitched battle. We had no convenient
way Of getting our horses across, SO we volun
teered to go on foot. 25 men, with our com
pany officers, went from the "MoKissick Ran
gers" and about the same number from each o
the other companies. On the evening Of III,