The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1886-05-14

!
ticipation Of an attack from towards Washing
ton. 1t could not have been thrown up in an
ticipation of Jackson move to the rear of the
enemy. That would be to sccredit Gen. Pope
with more prophetic ken than he ever possess
ed, as Jackson said, demonstrated in mo orc
ways than one Pope would not have throw IL
| it up for the protection of Confederate soldiers
1t did protect our infantry that hugged the
| ground while we were there closely if
| they had grown there. Perhaps it was thrown
up by Gen. Joe Johnson troops, when he re-
| treated from Manassas and went 10 tho
| Pcnensula below Richmond. This is the only
| reasonable explanation that suggests itself to
| my mind. The works on the west side of the
hill rs we approached it, was OH higher ground
| than that which our guus would have occupied
| had we halted there. And the enemies position
| was on still lower ground. 1t would have been
necessary to have fired our guns at an elcvati on
| of forty-fve degrees in order to have cleared
| the summit of the hill, and any depression suf-
fcient 10 have trained them on the enemy,
would have been obstructcd by the brcastworks.
Capt. Boyce, who was little in advance of the
company, took in the situation at Il glance
lie saw that the battery must occupy the space
between the two lines in order to engage the
enemy. Leaping the brestworks hc ordered
the pieces to pass in through an opening to-
wards the north.
The first section, under Lieut.. i. A. Jctcr
passed in and took position Oh tho right, the
second crowded in on the first, and then came
the third under Lieut.. 5. W. Porter, and thorc
was Il complete jam. Here were six guns and as
many caissons trying TO occupy space no;
more than sufficient for the successful manning
of two guns. And in addition to our battery
large number Of infantry lying on the ground,
and very mnch in our way. They seemed t.
prefer being tramplcd to death by our excited
horses and crushed by the wheels of our pieces,
rather than expose themselves for moment to
the deadly ire Of the enemy. The men of the
first section unlimbercd, but were not able to
man their guns for the want Of room.
The enemy saw the trap into which our reck-
lessncss and ineXpcricncc were impelling us
and reserved their fire, in joyful anticipation of
our destruction. They opened on us from two,
some said four, batteries rapid and murderous
fire, and with remarkable accuracy Of practice
Two minutes would cover every moment we
were there. And in that breath of time Lieut.
william Munro was severely wounded, being
shot through both hands and both thics, five of
the mcu slightly, and three mortally wounded,
seven horses killed right out and ten or fifteen
slightly, our guns and caisson lrrN. 80 carried
from the hill numerous evidences of the severity
of the enemy's fire. Seeing that we were under
murderous fire and in no condition to return
it, Capt. Boycc ordered the battery to retire:
and lcaping the breast works he went ont rs he
had gone in.
| am quite sure that the Macbeth made
quite rs good time in getting away from grave
yard hll--tor such was its namo-as they did
in going there. The only deficiency in the
enemy's practice resulted from the cutting Of
their fuse; au error they would have corrcc ed
if VIC had given them time. Had their fuse
been onc.half of a second shorter, the damage,
great as it was to the battery, would have been
much more disastrous. Owing to the small
area we had to occupy, my section was thrown
on the left and next to the battery that did the
execution. sat on my horse to the left Of my
left gun and there not rs much rs n bush
to obstruct the vicw-thc bullets and the daz-
cling rays of the sun it was reflected from
their FURNISHED guns. The shells passed over
my head and exploded Just to my right abovo.
but SO close to the heads of the men that :
noticed them cringc at each explosion, AZ !;
they were affected by the concussion II ,,v
of the balls from the spherical case .hol
passed into the ground beyond the e ,trsr,
right of the battery. Had the fuse ,s., -,
h,1F %, a 4
have exploded to my left ana the ir or ho;I fro,
them would have been poured i., ,h, ,,ias. &c
crowded mass Of horses ~ , w w;ui,
w., '"' '''' "'i .cr Of my left gu
' >"''' 'l'"'' - 3 terrible fire on Il
McNeace sprang ID the rrorn, ,ri b,r,;r
himself rs best he could ,;,ro ,,sh :, ;.
ground, looked up and ooo,;,,il .,;o
''"""'' jump "o"" you will be killed
that had no time 10
''"' NV '' danger, and therefore re
' + fear until ! was safe
, guns. ! did no. hear
" ''','S' and do not know how McNcs
wv .nson managed to get on; of su
SO well. 50 quick and in peri
horse was always fool about
's of all engine and the booming
but on that occasion he was quiet,
horscy 49,, Go. , Lo,
nv began 10 move he became unmanag
y" dismounted and led him across an ol
cid for half mile. before passed out OF
range of he Federal guns.
passed Lieut. Munro's horse at the bot
Of tho hill. He followed the battery ac>