The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-04-15
TwENTY.THiRD S. c. v.
The Doings and Suferings Of the Army
in Virginia the Summer OF 1864.
BY 4 sPRoTT GUARD.

The Doinss and Sufferings Of the Army
in Virginia the Summer OF 1854.
By sPRoTT GUARD
Eyans's Brigade now changed its name to
Elnos.s Brigade Gen. Evans had resign
ed on account Cif I am corlect OF celns
thrown from buggy in Charleston not long
before the brigade left Sul!ivan's Island 'of
Wilmington. By this accident he was COM
pelled to retire from service. Cos. Si''o'''
Tho Gallant commander of Fort Sumter. was
n,omoted to the rank Of Brigadier General
and assipped to the command. Col. Elliott
was brave man and gallant officer out
believe now, as I believed then' shs' 'ne
mantle of that Brigadier Generalshlp snou.o
have fallen on the shoulders OF one equa'iy
as deserving and just as brave. Sit.o''
BRIGADE was attached to Gen. bosn1oo
Iohnsop,s division, and continued part oi
that division till the end Of the struggle
FACE 10 FACE WITH TIE ENEMY.
After changing positions several times the
ssrd was ordered with the rest of the brigade
TO move across the Appomattoz River ana oo.
eupy line Of intrenehments IN q sectlon o1
country not very far from Petersburg calieo
Bermuda Hundred. This was the begin
ming Of srduous duties in the building ano
strengthening Of the works. The Federais
we're not over four hundred yards from Us
and throwing up their intrenchmenss WIN
an ea.nsstness that meant business SO 'he
Consederates were employed in the same
business and with the same earnes1ness'
The Confederates worked by detail and DAY
and night. The darkness favored 'ness
kinds Of operations. as there was less eh,
nosrre 10 the fire Of the Yankees at night
thss sn the day. There would be very
sharp fire though from tie enemy az
through the night, they using theiI ,s;nsa ss
arns. The troops were exposed 70 stl HiHus 70
o. weather without any shelter, ohiy "
stretch mp few thin blankets. ana tness :.
To-ded little OF 20 protection from sne "esA'I
ar Rain or sunshine it was the same. a
creat many did not have even tnln oian-
fst and what little sleep We could snatcn
would have to be got lying down IN tne
mud and water in the trenches. was
about the first of June when the 23ro %e9'
into the trenches at Bermuda hCnoIeo.
After few days the brigade was oroeseo W
move and occupy another portion OF tne
lines Ibelieve little nearer to petersburg
sv.ep SHOOTING IN EARNEST.
Itvas now continued sharp shoot'ng
along the whole lines, night ana oas, auo
the soldiers had to be cautious IN p.:sus,
even parts Of the lines that were pAi't"tSs
exposed. It may be safely saia ina: q La LA
who was reckless enough to raise nus ueeC
above the works (e7en for momehs os .tuo w.
signed his death warrant. II they oia tneis
were but few and very few that ever Iooseo ~
Sown a whole head. The Federals had TO
be equally SIS cautious, Tor II one suo.so .s
his head above their works 1t wonio oe 'Ae
same with them.
RIFLE PIT.
On both sides (or at least it was SO with
the Confederates) there would be sharp
shooters detailed and placed along the line
at regular distances and screened by pieces
Of timber about u IL, and three or four
feet in length. Then groove two or three
inches wide and the same depth, was cut out,
making groove in each piece. By putting
the two pieces one upon the other there was
space sufficient to put rife through and
shoot any object for some distance hight,
left, or front, the grooves being cut wider
on the front Of the screen than on the side
next the sharp shooter. Casualties wonld
occur often, some being killed, others
wounded. Maj. Bancroft, of the 2Srd, was
killed during these times by one OF the
Federal sharp shooters. In passing along
the line and one Of the embrssures Of the
Confederate batteries he Was shot through
the neck and killed. The Federals would
occasionally try to capture different parts of
the Confederate lines, making the attempt
with pretty strong bodies Of troops, but
would be repulsed and driven back to their
works.
TH8 2SaD IN F1eET.
On the 18th Of June there was pretty
aharp fight on part Of the lines near Pc
terSbprg. The 2Srd took q hand in it with
Col Benbow IN command. The Federals
we're repulsed. and the line still retained by
the Confederates The 23rd lost several
killed and good many wounded, Co.
hsviDg two or three killed and several
wounded. After the failure Of these at
tampss on the part Of the Federals to drive
tho Coofederates from different parts OF
asir lines, they would settle down, and
sharp shooting would be resumed by both
sides. i was said that the Federals had
nov around Richmond and Petersburg (and
there is no doubt of the truth of the asser-
tony two hundred and twenty Thousand
men, well fed. well clothed, and well armed,
confronted by m army poorly fed, poorly
clothed, and poorly armed, numbering fifty
etwo thousand men; yet under all these try
ing disadvantages these gallant Confeder-
atss, guided by the military genius of the
brave and immorssl Gen. Lee, stayed fo-
eleven long months the tread Of the North
ern invaders around Richmond and Peters
burg.
D1owNo UP TIE CONFEDERATE ARMY.
Sharp shooting and csnnonading contin-
ned till about the last Of July. During this
tune Gen. Grant had conceived the plan of
blowing up certain part of the Confeder-
ass works. Elliotts Brigade occupied the
works On the front Of Petersburg, the 23rd
being the right Of the brigade. On this part
Of the line was strong Confederate bat
terry with two guns. This battery was so
arranged that the guns could open an emf
lading FIRE 10 two ways upon the Federal
lines. This par. Of the program was by no
means pleasant to the Yanks, and this was
the place Gen. Grant desired to blow up.
At this place the Federals had managed to
push their picket or advanced lines quite
near the Confederate lines. being suppose
about one hundred yards from the Confed
crate main line Of intrenchments. The
Confederate picket line being between their
main line and the Federal picket or ad-
vsnced line, put the Contederates and the
Federals quite close together at this point.
Gen. Grants plan was to cut tunnel under
fha crnnna from his advanced or picket line