The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-03-25
vents abont this bouse Some times the

ments about this house Some times the
Confederates would have possession of this
house, and sometimes the Federals would
have possession. When the FederalS We're
IN possession their sharp shooters would
annoy us a good deal. The troops would
have to be Very particular and keep close IN
the works and not expose themselves, for
the Federal sharp shooters when III tue up
per story Of the house Gt was Il two story
| house) would be slightly above rs, and
would be continually firing 1t Us. When
! the Confederates would drive the fcdcr;els
from the house and get possession OF tue
| house we could move about at will, less eN-
posed. Around this house was a pallng
fence, and alongside Of the fence there ap-
peared 10 be hedge Of mock orange or
some other ornamental growth. These pal
ings We're down or had been torn down IN
some places. All this was in full view OF
the troops il the trenches. Sometimes the
fire would be pretty rapid about this house,
and then the ContederateS could be seen
heeling it from the house and pouring
through the gaps in the fence, then rally
and advance on the house. The Ee'ierals
could be seen heeling it from the house,
pouring through the gaps in the fence on
the opposite side of the house. This sklr
mishing was carried on by companies II
front Of each regiment The 23rd or its
skr,nishers had the woods in our front
mostly to skirnlish in, and about this woods
was good place, in a measure, for this
kind of business The troops could avail
themselves ofthe protection of the trees and
! fight Indian fashion. The 23rd sustained
some casualties in tbs skirmishing having
one killed and several wounded; one or two
think We're considered mortally wounded.
SUFFERING AGAIN FOR WATER.
This now brings us to the close Of the
evening on Saturday, with everything again
quiet. On this evening though the FEEDER
ais opened a heavy fire of shot and shell on
the position OF the 23rd, kept it up for a
while, then ceased. We were now expect
ing charge upon our lines which was the
case in q great many instances just before q
heavy charge was going to be made. From
this fire I don't think the 23rd suffered or
sustained any casualties, the most OF the
Federal shell bursting before reaching our
works or after passing them. We had been
in the intrenchments now three days, and
all the time exposed to the burning rays OF
Mississippi sun We had no shelter OF
any kind except blanket stretched over
ramrods stuck up on the side of TIE works,
or o few boughs cut or broken from some
trees a little distant from our works The
intrenchments ran along and across as open
space of ground as could be. We here
suffered a good deal for water. We could
get water from cistern in a yard about hf-
ty yards in our rear, but at times 1t was
worth mans life to attempt it. The Yam
kee sharp shooters would climb the trees IN
our front and shoot at our shadows it would
seem. The Federals would keep this up
till the Confederates would advance on them
and drive them from the trees and back to
point where they could not reach us so well.
In these intervals the 23rd would supply
itself with water by detail. 1t was also hard
to get our food, mostly having to wait till
night. The rations were cooked about a
mile in the rear, and consisted OF corn bread
and beef, and on its reaching US at night
both bread and beef would be sour, and
about as mnch as We could cat al one time,
and this would have to do US for twenty
tour hours, till the next evening. ali these
hardships and sufferings made the troops
anxious for the FedeIals to advance and
bring on a general engagement, and settle
the matter one way or the other, but 1t ap-
peared the Yankees were not in for Gener-
al row us long us they could help it.
10 be continued