The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-07-15
COMPANY |, 23rd S. c. v.
"reminiscences Of the War That Tried
Mems Souls and Proved Their Patrl-
otlSm.
By CAPT. D. J. BEADEAM.

ing the little village where the caval-
ry fight took place we pressed on, our
regiment being in front. We passed
that afternoon through another village.
The people here were very kind to US.
Tubs of ice water with dippers at
tached were placed along the streets,
as we passed through, for the soldiers
who were thirsty. At one place the
ladies had gathered and had some re-
and offered them to US.
We enjoyed this kind of treatment,
and while there assembled my friend
and comrade, H. j. Lyman, who was
afterward killed at Sharpsburg, point
ed out young lady who he said re-
sembled my wife. I approached her
and told her what my friend had said.
I found her to be pleasant and So
ciable and a great admirer of the Pal
metto boys Said she, eve feel safe
when South Carolina troops are
around and have faith that the invad-
er will yet be driven from our soil
and we will yet be free and inde-
pendent people"
Pressing on we attempted that
night to sleep in wheat field. We
fixed ourselves for the night by max
ing down a bed OF straw, placing four
muskets, bayonets down, in the
ground, and pinning the four corners
Of the blanket under the banner of
each gun to shelter US. We went to
sleep tired and hungry, to be aroused
early in the night with the familiar
sound, "Fall in!' We fell in line, and
six hours afterwards found US less
than one hundred and fifty yards
from our beds prepared early in the
night. False alarm for the time be-
ing, but early next morning we were
ordered forward and travelled that day
many miles pressing forward to Jack
sons rescue.
1t was probably this day that We
came near to Catlett's Station where
the next day we had a severe engage
ment between the artillery of the op-
posing armies. Late in the evening
we were brought into a wood and
told not to talk above a whisper, as
the enemy was just in our front and
that we were toat tack him at day
light next morning. We lay on our
arms all night in line and slept the
best we could, still hungry having
had no regular rations for several
days.
Just at early dawn the next morn
ing, August %, 1862, we were order
ed to get up and move forward. AS
the orderly of our company, j. E.
Wells, was passing up aDd down the
line arousing the men he called my
attention to one of our company who
said he would not go as he had not
got his nap out. I urged him but to
no purpose. We left him. and about
10 o'clock that day, under a heavy
fire, he came up to US at trail arms as
if he were squirrel hunting, and said,
'sNow I am ready to fight; I have got
my nap out!' AS we were passing
into the fight that morning just at
sun rise we crossed ditch and the
enemy saw US ard opened fire. We
changed front forward, dressed on the
colors, and pressed through an open
field to ravine in rear of our artil-
lery, and there We remained for SLY
long hours under very heavy fire o1
shot and shell from the enemies bat
teries.
In crossing the ditch that morning
I got into yellow jackets nest.
They covered the left side of my face
and ear. With my left hand I pulled
them of, and expected in a short
time my face would be so swollen
that I would not be able to see. To
my surprise my face did not swell at
ali. I asked our surgeon for an ex-
PLANTATION. He said you were so bad
" scared the poison would not take
efectl I guess he was right.
At this fight we shed our first blood.
Wesley Chewing, Richard DuBose,
and probably one other whose name
I do not remember, were wounded.
Col. Benbow was at his best at this
fight. We were now in the face OF
the enemy and felt proud Of our COM
mander, who was handsome in form
and as true and brave as Murat was
at Moscow. Believing that he would
have to charge the enemy he was
passing to and fro in front with his
person exposed, setting al example
to his officers and men. He was ap-
pealed to several times to protect
himself, but refused and said that he
saw and realized the danger but
thought it necessary for the protec-
ton and preparation of his command
in case we should have a hand to
hand struggle. About this time 90
o'clock a. NJ General Evans sent in
one of his aids to say to Col. Benbow
to send messenger TO the captain
commanding the battery in our front,
eff he could confuse the enemy to
signal to him and let him drive them
away with the bayonet." Col. Ben
bow sent young man from Compa-
ny I to deliver the message. This
young man described his trip alter
wards. He said that as he approach
ed the battery, shot aud shell flying
in every direction, and dead horses
and men lying around, the captain
who was walking a few PAGES in rear
Of his guns said, Young man, keep
cool; those things won't hurt You if
they don't hit you" After delivering
the message the young man said the