The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-07-09
AMONG THE BATTLE FIELDS.
What an old Soldier Saw, and What
He has Written. About the Bloody
History Af RiclmOnl.

what an OH SOlOlPr saw, anu "Ha'
He has Written. About the Bloody
History of Richmond.
In my last letter gave you some obserya
tions around Petersburg, Va. General Hemp
hill parted company with US when we re
turned to Richmond, and ran up to Washing
ton d. C., to take in the National Capital
and the lights around the nation.
The next day, in company with other Con,
feierates, we boarded the dummy car. and
ran down 10 the battlefield of Seven Pines
4 narrow guage road has been built since the
war from Richmond TO the battle-held, whlch
is seven miles from the city. This line fol-
lows the uine mile road all the way from
Richmond to Seven Pines. The battle ground
is about one mile southwest Of Savage Sta
tlon on the York River Railroad, on the south
side of Chickahominy, AMI about one mile
below and to the right Of Fair Oaks station.
The battle field is called Fair Oaks by North
crn historians. The hardest fighting was near
the intersection of the nine mile road with
the Williamsburg road: The sixth south
CIR Ira Regiment, the Hampton Legion and
the Palmetto Sharp Shooters fought on the
left OF the Williamsburg road, and across the
nine mile road.
On Sunday morning. June lst, 1867. the
south Carolina troops charged the Bucktails,
and drove them from their first position; they
made stand on the ground now used as a
national cemetery. On this plat OF ground
they left fifty OF their men Killed, ana fell
back across the Williamsburg road about two
hundred yards, and made another stand. Our
troops routed them from this position. Eighty
more OF the Federals were killed at this point.
From this placethey were driven back on the
main line, massed in rear and near the
The Battlefield where D. H. Hill made the
attack OH Saturday, May 81 1862, was also Wis
or five hundred yards below where the South
Carolina troops fought OH June lst, and OIL the
right of the Williamsburg road.
The country is low and flat all around, SO
.le-& ...k,N
see oi the old battle-ground it was not fayora.
ble to the party making the advance as our
men did. The Federals were strongly en-
trenched behind heavy earth works, with a
Inherent directions. There were three differ.
ent lines of earthworks held by the enemy.
rhe Confederates charged these lines and cap.
tured the works forcing the enemy back ON
Inducements were hurried across the stream
TO their relief, which enabled them to hold
their last position.
Couch's troops was sd the dlvlsl9n WI Eso anat 3p,
len. giving the Federals the strongest force
The field on which the battle was fought
was cultivated after the war or at least part
OF IL. II is now grown up In pines. There
mound of earth shows some poor fellow
asst resting. place. The man who owns the
land (name forgottenl took up over three hun
dred Confederate soldiers bodies lust after
The war and buried them all in one grave
Near the same spot two hundred and forty
bodies are buried in one grave; these last
were Georgia troops killed In the charge May
31st.
Near the battery spoken OF, in a plat Of
.round between the lines, q large number ol
F'ederals are buried, The land was cultivated
after the War and the graves leveled down.
Going over the field we could tell where q
body was buried by the large briers. The
,rass Is growing all over the land several
inches high. where net too much shaded
our guide told us that the grass was burned
II bones to view, now hid by The grass.
The Federal cemetery Is on part of the bat
tle.fleld in the fork OF the Williamsburg and
and Nine Mile road. There is, ! suppose
four or five feet high. In this enclosure, &
neat house is built for the keeper of the Gem.
etery to live In. register is kept OF all Wis
itors. The keeper Is an old Federal soldier
from Ohio. His business is TO keep the Gem
ctery In repair, and show visitors around
We found him very sociable and pleasant IN
There are busted in this cemetery thirteen
hundred and fiity-seven Federal soldiers
only one hundred and fifty of this number
are known. All that could be identified have
| neat headstone, with the name, rank, regi
ment and onpany inscribed; e. The balancs
in the cemetery. No doubt there are quite 9
number OF Confederate soldiers buried there
Our guide told US that numbers were buried
by any clothing they were buried in: The
uniform buttons was all they could have Il
20 by in some cases.
In the center of the ground. some
old are planted in bo the sSss
srapc.shot, and so forth, piled around.
There has been several new houses bull
since the war on the battle-ground. The old
billiard House is still standing near the Gem
etery. Some residences have been built to
the right Two eating houses have also beer
put up. Mr.. Lyon keeps a small museum O.
war relics in his cating-houSe. Such rs ole
guns, sabres, fragments OF shell, minnie balls
bayonets, canteens. dc.
As party OF us were walking down tht
Nine Mile road, minnie ball was discovered
in the middle Of the road, just become ex
home as q memento Of the battle. field.
Just above the cemetery on The side Of the
road, o lone grave is TO be seen. This Is OF
the ground that Hampton's Legion charged
over on June LIST. The grave Is supposed Il
be one OF that command.
The earth works between Seven Pines ant
Richmond can still be seen at several points
hut the most Of them have been levelleC
down, and the fields are in cultivation.
Some nice farms are TO Le seen along tht
railroad, and neat houses have been erected
the last few years. The country is fiat anC
levei, with swampS scattered along the route
seeing. We hurried back TO Richmond ir
time to meet the train going South.
Ats o'clock. p. NJ, we left Richmond fol
home, regretting that our stay could not b'
prolonged few days longer. think tht
party all enjoyed the trip 10 the full extent
and all will remember the trip pleasantly
We were gratitled 10 meet many of our ole
leaders and veterans; such an opportunity
will hot present itself again. There is kin
dred feeling among most OF the old soldier
that our younger people do not unders tand
/ see from some of the newspaper reports
that some Of our candidates on the State can
| vas, think it time the old Confederates wer,
taking back seats and getting out of the way
of progress. Well, suppose they will no
object to our having reunions, and celebra
tions, If we will only keep out of the way o
the wheels Of progress and reform. We err
not all candidates for Office by any means
and dislike To hear such language from tn,
younger generations coming on.
Everything being equal, a Confederate sol
dier should have the same chance in politic
as any one else. We hope never to see tn,
day in our Southland when q Confederate
soldier will be deoarred from equal right
with any one else. Efficiency Is what W.
want, let it be old or young. REB.
Rounty to EmRncipated Slaves