South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1892-09-09

seuteu StFtr3i days or W90x UX
marching aud conference.-the ii5.
trying to forces delay. or avoid -
bate. Long detours 20 turn Tho,
cnemy's flank, or to conceal -
march; feints TO deceive - % q =
real objects Of the commauder.
The battle was invariably pPo.
csded by combats, skirmishos. n A'
fairs with pickets, aftilltry dusIr
and cavelry fights; lasting for t8o
or three days. Through all thu
the soldiers vero kept IN cons4a ~
motion snd knew no rest excobs;
such rs they could catch ia the fsyv
moments tho oolnmus halted in tk1
road or in line Of battle. So worn
out would they become that theys
slept soundly under tho hcaviosr,
artillery fire, and | have seen s.
whole line of battle arousci iron
slnmber BY the order to charge.
When We think OF all this we can;
begin to appreciate whit fatigue.
aud hardships aud dangers are rom
resented by 1e00 miles marched and
sixteen pitched battles fought Ii
nine months, with almost unvary inn.
success. These hardships were on
ly equaled by tho privations they,
endured. During the latter Dart
OF the war Eoldicrs rations vcro
scarce ono third Of the regulation
allowance, and consisted OF very In
ferior materials. Three days ra-
tlons OF musty corn meal and ram I.
CID bacon scarce served for One
days need, and the third day was
always fast day.
They received very little clothing.
and that of the most inferior Kind.
Cotton jackets and cotton brooches.
shoes With wooden soles aud cloth
uppers, were Issued by the quarter
masters department. The only
thing the Confederate government.
seemed to have in abundance wa
powder and ball and Confederate.
money.
The battle Of fredericksburg was
fought on the Is and Ia OF Decem-
Der, 1864. When the, Confederate
army began to cross the Rappahan..
mock River at fredericksburg, the
brigade then under my command
was encamped twelve miles below.
About noon orders came TO cook
three days rations and be ready to
march at moments notice. II
was cold afternoon and about sun
down, when the brigade was resdyz
to- move there stood in the ranks
one hundred bsrefooted men, ready
to make the night march over the
frozen ground, and the only favor.
they asked was to be allowed Co fas,
behind tho column, where the.
ground was beaten down and worm
smooth by the shod feet of their
more fortunate comrades.
About midnight we biyouacked
near Hamiltoa's crossing, and boz
fore morning the ground was COW
cred with snow three or four inches
deep, which lay on the ground all
day. and the bsrefooted soldiers
fought in their places, in the ranks,
and CALAMITY charged through the
forest and tangled underground
and drove the enemy back across
the railroad.
That the Confederate soldier will
one day be valued at his true worth
there can be no doubt, and already
the historians of other counties are,
writing of them as they deserve.
Prey Greg, an Englishman has
Just written history Of the United
States in which he says what he.
thinks Of the Confederate armies.
lie is an impartial witness and he
thus speaks of their behavior aE
Gaines Mill.
"They charged up to the muz-
Sles Of the guns, and were rnown
down like grass, repeated their
charges for an hoaF and haiEand
finally carried the left Of the posi-
ton driving Porter's whole forca
in utter confusion accross sire
Chickahominy with loss Of nine.
thousand men and twenty two
guns"
Speaking Of the battle Of Fraz-,
ier's farm he uses this languaoo:.
cat four O'Clock in the afternoon
Longstreet and Hill came up With
the retreating line near Frazicrs
farm. Mccall upon whom thev
first fell bears testimony to the an
eqnalled impetuosity Of the Donfed<
crate attack, the failure Of the most
destructive artillery and mnskctrv
fire which moved them down az
short distance, TO check then FOR
an instant. Advancing under
that FIRE, over six hundred yards 81
open ground, they carried fbe bat
terry and inflicted tremendous lose
upon the retreating army
Writing Of the battle Of Corfnth
he pays this handsome tribute Ia.
the courage and dash Of che south
srn soldiers: fOn the morning 81
the 4th Of October, 1862 after s
brief cannonade General Price It
lacked in column. The column
advanced in the form Of q wedge
swept as it pressed forward 81
ross and endladiag FIRE at once ~
cannon and mDsketry, undismayed
{ came on; opening ont 70 rioht
md left sweeping the enemy be-
ore It, carried one Of the strone.