The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-05-29
ALEAF FROM THE PAST.
Letters Written in Front Of Vera Cruz.
The Galantry Of the South Carolina
Volunteers and Their officers.

(From the Columbia Daily Rcgister.)
Senator Butler has transmitted to
Governor Richardson, to be placed in
the archives of the State, certain letters
which have been in his possession some
wears. and sent to him by Mr.. Isaac
Hayne.
These letters appear to be official COM
municationS from Col. P. NJ. Butler, an
uncle of the Senator, and Col. Dickinson,
and were found by Mr.. Hayne while
looking over some old papers of his
fathers. One is letter from Col. P.
N. Butler. commanding the South Caro-
lima Volunteers. to Brig. Gen. J. y.
Quitman, and is dated March IA, 1S47,
at Vera Graz, Mexico 1t is as follows:
IN REAR OF VERA Cruz,
Mar 14th, 1871.
General: The material facts connected
with the skirmish on the Sand Hill on
the morning of the 18th (as far as the
Palmetto Regiment was a parity are:
Under your instructions to extend the
companies around the brow OF the hill
fronting the enemy, Company a. Capt.
Sumter. was ordered to the then right.
Soon after You ordered one of the Geor-
gia companies, Capt Davis, to form on
his right, and both placed under the
command of Lieut. Col. J. P. Dickinson
of the S. c. Volunteers. Company Z,
Capt. Motfatt, Co. E, Capt. Marshall, |,
Capt. SecreSt, were thrown still further
under the hill, $50 yards to the right,
under command of Major a. Il. Glad
den.
Lieutenant Colonel Dickinson, with
his known ardor and gallantry, while
directing his command, received a
musket ball in his right breast near the
collar bone. which am pleased to learn
from the medical officer Is not serious.
Two privates of Captain Sumter's com.
panv. Ballard and Coker, received
wounds, one in the arm the other. in
the thigh, neither OF which are con-
sidercd dangerous.
When these companies were attacked
CAPTAIN Kennedy of Company E, was
placed on the extreme right Of the line,
when private Phillips of his company
received a wound in the arm, though
shattering some of the bones yet not
regarded dangerous One other private,
Hickey. of Captain DeSauSsure's COM
pany, II, was struck by a spent cannon
ball, which tumbled him over, shatter-
ing his canteen without further injury
All were equally exposed to the balls
from the city and the bombs from the
Castle, and Lieutenant Colonel Dlcken-
sons command more to the 'uusketry
from their exposed position. All were
cooler from this exciting fire than could
have been expected from volunteers.
All YOUR orders were executed by the
regiment with proprietv and good order.
P. NJ. BUTLER,
Col. Com. S. G. Y.
The following letter shows 1t. Colonel
Dickinson'S gallant spirit:
CAMP OPPOSITE VERA CRUZ,
% March, 1S47.
Ny DEAR SIR: am informed that a
preaching battery, near the railroad, will
be ope1ed tomorrow and that it is pos,
sible an assault may be ordered if the
resistance of the city proves obstinate.
GeINPatterson is Of opinion that the
''forlorn hope, whhtiaeaht usually leads the
assault, will be composed 6rSAetallS trou
the different brigades., and the Object q!
this note is to solicit the honor of lead
ing the detail from your brigade.
am sufficiently strong for such duty
and the only risk to me, from my wound,
would be the after conSequenceS-and
those not serious. But as l am deliber-
atezy determined even ifitrisks my COM
mission, to accompany any such COM
mand, this is not to be considered, aud
,eag6t to Dt i5tftt iH5ft- :to poySeif. I "iH e";c:5
a volunteer if l cannot as an officer.
sincerely hope, sir, that you may
pardon my request, and that 1t would
prove agreeable to those seek to COM
mand. l can assure you that the honor
of your brigade shall not suffer in my
hands. Most respectfully,
J. P. DICKINSON,
1t. Col. S. c. V.