The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-07-21

have bid adieu to time and sleep beneath the
sod Of the old dominion.
Col. Gardner halted the regiment, or
dered 1t to load, and being in line of battle,
he rode to the front on his horse Brimetone,
the Improvisation OF cool daring and GAL
| liant bearing-"Boys, said ne, 81 em no
| public speaker" All have TO say to you
! is this, remember the state from which you
come. Remember that you are Georgians.
Keep your ranks, do your duty, aud we'll
| whip en-" Three long hearty cheers went
up for our gallant colonel, who, l gFieve to
say, cannot, for months, from the nature OF
his wound, again lead his regiment.
A circHitous march Of of about eight
miles more brought US TO the battle field,
and we were drawn up and halted, for
moment, on the right flank Of the enemy.
| Col g. ordered the regiment forward, but
owing TO some Misunderstanding OF tho orr
! der, only the two right companies marched
| of, These were the Rome Light Guards
and the Oglethorpes. We got into field
Of corn. In front Of us was one Of our bat
teries, and between it aud US were an old
building. We were expected to support
one Of our batteries till the main body
should come up. but there were only two
companies. Messengers were dispatched
for the remaining companies, who came up
in about tan minutes, during which time
we were ordered to lie on the ground. The
enemy were firing at our battery, and, as
usual shooting wild. We were exposed to
horrible IRE of ball aud shell, which few
around and about us like hail. AS soon as
the rest of the regiment got up, they also
were ordered to lie down. Our flag, in the
hands of the brave and reckless Daniels,
attracted the attention of the enemy, and
faster and thicker came the shot. The New
York Fire Zouaves (Ellsworths) with
heavy reserve, were sent 20 attack the left
flank OF our regiment, this, however, we
did not learn till afterward) We laid
down in the corn field for fifteen minutes,
several of our men being wounded by burst
ing shells. If there be anything which can
try the courage Of men, it is to be in such a
position as that, not to be able to see your
enemy, and yet to know that you are being
| shot at. Yet in that trial not one man
flinched, while the balls falling all around
| u.s. owing the dirt over US and in our
| faces, to me the most tantalizing position of
| the day. Here Col Barlow rode up, and
| told Col, Gardner that Gen. Bee needed
support, one of his regiments being engaged.
Rise Eighth regiment" and every man was
upon his feet. The fire of TWO or three bat
| teries now opened on us, and the whole air
sounded as though a large Eolian harp
was hung over, around and about US. To
| gain tue position assigned US, we had to
| make charge across an open field from
| three quarters to mile distant. Graciousl
how the shot came, but though tired with
| a 10-mile march, we went in perfect order
at the double-quick through that iron hail.
| gaining the bottom of slope, on the left Of
which they were playing on us. The COM
mand cleft fiankn was given, and away
we went straight into the teeth of
the murdereus ffire, thinking that we
were going to charge the batteries; out, of
a sudden we were ordered to the
| right, and entering thicket of about two
acres in extent, we're brought within about
| 100 yards of the enemy, 5000 strong, many
of them regulars, who, sheltered behind
| houses, haystacks, fences and thick wood,
| opened upon us. Here we heard the sharp
rattle OF musketry; the shot, grape and she'll
| pouring in upon US, yet not gun was fred
| till the command commence firing" was
| given. We went into the thicket $50 strong,
| the O. L. l. seventy-five men, and com
| menced firing. Most of the men were as
cool as cucumbers- would load, pick
! We were now, to give you some idea
| of the fire we were under, engaging
| 5000 in front and vera being fred
| into by 5000 on our right flank.
| Besides this, the enemy had a reserve
| of 22, GOO. This was the main wing OF their
army, and the flower of it, with large re-
| serve In the rear They had commenced
| the attack in the morning on our left flank,
| where, few days before, they had had
| fight. the main body being where we came
/ up and held 10 in check, their idea being
that while they engaged US with 10 900 on
the left, they would take their 10000
and march straight into Manassas.
We stood the fire in that wood
| for thirty minutes, and had not the order
been given to retire, not one man would
have left his post The truth is, we were 80
| unused TO fight and determined on victory,
that we never dreamed of retiring We had
now, being ordered to cease firing, to retire,
and down came the IL, 600 vandals on our
little band. We fell back about 100 yards,
| where we made a stand with the colors, but
the thloket was so close that you could not
sec the flag at ten yards distance. Gen.
Barlow was the only one OF our officers who
had gone into the thicket on horseback, and
his horse had been shot under him. Col.
Gardner had been dangerously wounded in
the leg. The daring courageous Branch
had been mortally wounded. Many
down-some killed, some wounded
and at every step you were called on to
stop and assist some poor fellow who was
down OF hobbling off. In this jungle many
of our boys got scattered. and some Of them
falling in, fought with other regiments
Many were dead and wounded. We now
retired orderly, as many as could see the
flag having come 20 it, under Maj. Cooper,
and emerged upon an open field exposed to
full fire from the enemy. Here Col. Fauut-
leroy, coming up with Virginia regiment,
seeing our condition, gave, with his regi-
ment, three cheers for the Eighth Georgia,
and here we met the Seventh Georgia,
who had just come up to our support. We
were now completely worn out. We had
been under fire for about three hours, and
formed in the rear of the Seventh, who,
with Hampton's legion, here met and re-
pulsed large body Of the enemy, who, hav-
ing only fought the Fourth Alabama and
our Eighth, thought the day theirs.
To the Seventh Georgia believes belongs
the credit of making the first charge, but l
am only giving YOU an account of our reg
lment, and more especially our own corps.
We were now ordered to rest and lie down.
At this time saw around the colors Maj
Cooper, Capts. Msgruder, West, Lamar
and Dawson, Lieuts. Scott and Cooper and
about fifty men. The colors had three balls
put through them. One of the guard had
been killed and four wounded. All OF the
guard had been hit with at least q spent
bali, and ball had passed through the color
bearers sash. OF the o. L. l. around the flag
of this time there were Capt West, Lieuts.
Copper and Butler, COrpl. Borchert,
Privates Badie, C. Hunter, G. Godfrey,
Frank Goodwin, Stevens, Butler Holmes,
A. Davis, Sanford, H. Branch, myself,
and Rayser, who, though wounded in the
left shoulder, and was unable to use his gun,
Il a y .srrls -