The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1886-07-09
"REMINISCENCES
OF THE
MACBETH LIGHT ARTILLERY
BY ONE OF THEM.
No. Z.

1No. ..
narration of some of the scenes and inoi
dents OF the battle Of Sharpsburg, may not b,
wholly an unintcresting prelude to this numbc,
of our rccollections
AS the Macbeth was hurrying into tho fight or
the morning Of that eventful day, when It seemed
as If heaven and earth had como together. m,
attention was arrested by the demeanor of :
youthful soldier who was being borne to the rea,
badly wounded. He was weeping; and one might
haveimagined that the frighful wound had turned
his thoughts homeward and to loved ones there
and thus unnamed the soldier boy. No doub,
ne was in great physical agony. His thoughts
however, were not Of self or home. but Of tbe
battle field, our struggling men, and victory.
Ihe lndomitable spirit Of this youthful patriot
gave way to tears, because he was no longer
nole to hight for his country. But his courage
rose superior to his physical suffering, and IL
was inspiring to hear him cheering the troops
that were then hurrying by, saying ego il, bows.
our men need you over there" Is it marvel
GUS that Lees banner foated victorious over so
many hard fought battle fields, when the bov,
in his command were made of such polished
steel?
Artillery men do little picketing, carry no
baggage, and ride across streams These are
privileges that the infantry do not enjoy. We
usually hauled our baggage on our caissons and
on the Timber chest, our guns On the
morning Of the fight, when one of our caissons
was blown up, a bundle of blankets wa. sent
heavenwards. Ike lson, who fell when tho
explosion took place, rose just as the blankets,
under the force Of gravitation, were returning.
In the confusion of the disaster he cried ont,
"boys they arc shooting blankets at us ~ Many
OF US thought that it was something more solid
than blankets that was doing the damage.
We had one gun disabled before we reached
our first position and lost another between the
hrst and second positions. Hence it is that the
Macbeth is referred to in the official reports as
battery Of four guns. A section of tho Wash
ington Light Artillery received distinguished
mention in connection with the saving of our
center. 1t fought we'll and merited all the
official notice it received but the Macbeth was
in front Of it and nearer the enemy, and was
there after the section referred to had left the
fold.
Lieut.. Porter told the writer that VonSchar-
tel, Acting as gAaasf at cur Sseeepd -nosiiiAs-
out Of three shots, divided two color 6Sa5ers in
halves. It was while calamity fighting at this
very hot place that young: John Lyles, express
ing tho feeling of many another soldier, do.
clased that he wished It was night.
nthoir official reports, the Federal officers
say that Col. Barlow was wounded and Gen.
Richardson killed by canister. The Macbeth
was the only battery that fired gun at this
position, ani most Of our firing there was with
double shottsd canister. Snffsring with nausea
and pnroxysm Of pain from the blow up, I took
advantage of a calm in the storm Of battle and
retired from the field. As passed along the
streets in the western suburbs Of Sharpsburg
saw the most horrible scene that witnessed
during the war: A Confed crate soldier was
lying on the street with the top of his head
shot off. It had evidently been done by Benja-
minis guns on the Eastern side Of ths Antfetam,
quite mile away. His bood and brains were
scattered on the ground and hog was revealing
In them as though the battle was for the speciol
benefit Of hungry brutes. On tho crest Of
high hill just beyond this scene I saw Gen.
Lee. almost alone, with his glasses to his eyes,
intently watching his center that had already
been broken without the slightest apparent in
dication Of alarm. The Macbeth had advanced
and planted her guns in the gap and was main
tanning the position with distinguished gal
lantry, wholly unconscious that the eyes of our
great chief was watching her action, or that SO
much depended upon the hero's efforts.
doubt very much If there was another command
that fought "from carly morn to dewey eve''
without relief Reserves generally do the re-
lievipg but it SO happened that when IL came
! the Macbeth's time to be relieved there was no
reserve. For every soldier in Lees army had
already snelt the smoke Of battle that day.
In some respects the battle of Sharpsburg
was the greatest of the war. For o. brief
period of time have heard more rapid aud
terrific cannonaling, but. when It is remem-
bered that the battle ragged from before sunrise
till after sunset, ! doubt il the incessant roar
Of artillery pt Sharpsburg was equaled on any
other battle field during the war. Every
minute after the two armies had warmed
up under the inspiration Of the battle
balls were ploughing the ground or
whizzing and shrieking through the air, while
shells were exploding aud scattering their
fragments here, there, and everywhere. Night
put an end to the terrible fight ; and Lee and
his men retired that night fully expecting II
would be renewed the next day with increased
fury. But morning came, and the day wore
away without the firing of n hostile gun.
BY some, sharpsburg is put down as drawn
battle; while others claim IL as Federal sie-
tory. Excuse n,e for haltirg to examine tbs
foundation on which these claims rest.
Mcclellan assaulted Lec's position on the
18th Sept, 1862, and was hurled back with
great violence and tremendous slaughter. On
thu morning of the 18Th. Lae's posiiion ON onr