The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-28

DdFb VI ID COIuDOEbu Oh Il0 1WelLIu T6kl-
ment-being in a fiat about flfty yards north
Of the plank road and depressed about five or
six feet below the level of the roadway, was
reformed, and facing south " ard moved
back toward the plank road, ascending q
gentle slope as we neared it, when suddenl y
we were startled By a sharp volley Of
musketry coming from line of troops
about forty OF fifty yards south of the plank
road, the bullets from which volley fiercely
whiZzed over our heads. l well remember
my own thoughts-the enemy are in our
rear, aud we are in a bad box. This flashed
through my mind. Immediately the men
fell upon their faces and would doubtless
have at once begun to return this fire, but
several cried out: You are firing into your
friends Show your colorsP show your
colorsp It Immediately became apparent
to us and to the men on the south side Of
the plank road that q mistake had been
made and the firing ceased.
"a part of our brigade. during the short
space Of hardly more than ten minutes that
we were down the slope of the hill on the
north side of the plank road had moved to
their right, SO as to occupy exactly the
ground over wbich we had passed short
time before, and not knowing that we were
across the road, and seeing us coming in
lire of battle from the direction of the
enemy, naturally took US to be federals and
greeted US with q shower Of confederate
lead, most of which, fortunately. passed
over our heads.
"When these mon saw their mistake and
knew that their fire had taken effect on
some of our men. they were greatly dis
tressed. Boys, we are so sorryI We are so
sorryl' many of them earnestly said. We
did not know you were our friends No
such protestetions were of course necessary,
but the manly fellows who had made the
mistake seemed to think it necessary thus
to assure u.s.
"In my diary on the morning of May |
wrote an account OF this action, from which
take the following extracts:
"About 10 o'clock our brigade went into
action on the enemy's left flank, and Lieut..
Patterson(2) was told by DIR. Pryor(8 this
morning that Gen. Longstreet told him
that the brigade behaved very well, and
the Twelfth regiment most calamity. We
drove the enemy beautifully for a half
mile OF more through the woods, killing
and wouuding many Of them. The casual
ties 10 the Twelfth were five killed-Nilliam
f. Pucci, Company A; d. MoCraoken,
Company B; John Mingea, Company B; w.
A. Jelks, Company B, and K. B. Barnes,
Company f; and forty-seven wounded, two
of whom, it is thought, are mortally
wounded-Ben White, Company G, and
William Delbridge, Company |. Among the
wounded are Capt Stephen White, Com
pany C; Sergt. George Morrison, AZ Com
pany A; and Private John Lee, OF Com
pany E. There were unfortunately three
cases of accidental wounding in the regi-
ment. What were the casualties in the
other regiments OF the brigade l have not
heard. Among those in the brigade, how
ever, hear of Capt. r. Taylor, of Gen.
Mahone's staff, and one of the generals
couriers, Bernard. being wounded, and also
Lieut. Col. Minetree, of the Forty-flrst.
I" A most unfortunate affair occurred just
ba Txyalfth rafUrutnI from the adj
vanoed position TO which they had charged
the enemy. They were fired into by the
Forty-first, and hear also part of the
SixtY-first regiment, who took US TO be the
enemy. This fire wounded and perhaps
killed some Of our men, but what is most
unfortunate, 1t wounded Gen. Longstreet
and killed Gen. jenkins. who were riding
along the PLANK road just at the time. Our
division and Heth's are now in line CT bat
tie in reserve. From what can gather we
gained not much by the fight Of Thursday,
except four pieces of artillery, and hear
5000 prisoners. We lost heavily In wounded,
Judging from the large number we met on
the road yesterday morning. In the fight
of yesterday we had greatly the advantage,
driving the enemy a half mile and killing
large numbers of them.
"'Among the incidents Of the fight must
mention the conspicuous gallantry OF a
member Of our company, Jim Farley (5)
now Of the sharpshooters. who received
two wounds, one in the shoulder and the
other in the face, but continued to charge
on with the regiment to the most advanced
position. The gallantry Of Lieut.. Col. Sor-
rel, Of Longstreet's staff. was also very con-
spicuous. He led us into action on horse
| back, waving his hat and crying out;
'Come on Virginians"
"'Gen. Wadsworth, Of the yankee army
xvN,,pdad- III ic haliavad rNn1 Ixy
in that portion of the field over which
the left of our brigade charged, and is there
fore supposed to have been wounded by our
brigade
"About twelve months ago made a copy
of the account of this action given in my
diary and sent it to Leroy Edwards. From
| his reply ackno wledging the receipt, l make
| the following extract:
"'The fight that day, the burning woods,
| our marchtngs and countermarchings be-
| fore and after the engagement, are well in
| my memory and are accurately recorded in
| your diary. Our company was not 10C
| yards from the spot where Longstreet was
| wounded and Gen. Jenkins wos killed; in
| deed the same volley that disabled these
| generals likewise struck down two OF the
| color guards of the Twelfth regiment
| cannot forget the gallantry of May (our en-
| sign at that critical moment, when our men
| Sixteenth VlrginiaD we're striking us
| down, nor 40 forget gallant Mays bear
! ings when Sorrel (of Longstreet's staff
asked May to let him (Sorrel carry the
colors of the Twelfth, and Mays indignant
reply. This incident occurred before we
reached the plank road. May was knee
deep in u swamp and Sorrels horse wal
| fioundering in the mud. At this moment
young Lee, of Company E, was wounded.
| We soon reached the plank road aud hastily
| dislodged the enemy.
Here follows a diagram which we omit
"'This rough drawing represents my rec
| elections of the swamp or marsh in which
| the May and Sorrel incident occurred Il. A. j
| and about the location OF Lee when he was
| wounded. Our advance was then to the
| plank road, where we found some hestily
constructed eerthworks, bressb-high, and
where we met very little resistance. The
! organization Of the regiment, aud indeed
| the brigade, was then very imperfect. Soon
| after passing over the breestworks TX. k. H.
we were recalled to the plank road. / re.
| member John Patterson's voice In the call
| As soon as we reachad the plank road on
| the advance, Sorrel galloped do wn the road
! 20 our left, and soon after or return to the
road at X. X. X. May was waving the
! Twelfth flag aud warning our friends Six
! tenth VirginiaD who were advancing e
| the plank road. Ii was Immediately afte
two Of our color-guard were shot down e;
! AZ .hat I hazard ~ Gan TnuUetraatia t.ye,,,,d