The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-05-01

fore that our brigade had been selected
to effect the capture of this height
Alter ascending a few hundred yards
we came in contact with the enemy.
Advancing, as we had to do, over stub
BILE that had been burned over our men
experienced great difficulty in reload
ing their pieces, aud a bayonet charge
was an utter impracticability. We
steadily, however, drove the enemy to-
wards the summit. When within u
short distance of the summit they
ceased firing and reiterated rapidly,
throwing themselves behind breast
works which had been constructed to
meet such an emergency. Here we
came to q halt as it was utterly i'm
possible to dislodge the enemy from
their well chosen retreat. which both
nature and art had combined to rendcr
i~mpregnable. What We're we TO do ?
Must we give up in despair after los
ing so many brave comrades? We
were ordered to protect ourselves for
the time from the missiles OF the enc
my. After waiting about fifteen min
utes we were ordered to charge the
breastwOrks. Not q soldier hesitated
every one felt assured that our general
would not needlessly sacrifice his mon.
Under u terrible fire we approached to
within twenty yards of the fortiGca-
tlons, when, to the astonishment of all,
the, enemy gave way and ran poll-mell
down the mountain in the direction OF
Harper's Ferry. ! was lying wounded
near the breastworks yet | noticed as
tonishmentopn every face at the con
duct OF the enemy after lighting us
bravely all the morning. The cxpIana-
tlon was soon given, however. Gen.
kershaw had detached Il few companies
from the right of the It'll regiment
and, taking command of themsolf,
made Il circuit around the summit and
managed to flank tho enemy. Our
charge was commenced at q signal
agreed on between him and Col. Will
liams,, whom he left in charge of the
brigade. AS soo as he had Ranked
the enemy he ordered the companies
to open an enflade fire this, | presume,
was the signal for us to charge the
breastworks. The result of this uc-
cesSful expedition vas the capture of
Harper's Ferry, with IL, 900 prisoners
and large numbers of small arms and
about thirty brass cannon. Thus you
perceive Gen. Kershaw contributed in
an eminent degree to the success of
u arms in two great battles.
l cannot refrain from mentioning %
little incident that goes to show that
this man OF war possessed a kind
anu gentle heart. After getting my
arm attended to by the surgeon, in do
ing which he was compelled to use a
single in the place of a Splint, l was
making my way to some better locali-
ty. AS was his habit whenever he
could do so, Gen. Kershaw, accompa-
MED by a part of his staff, was looking
after the wounded. Their position
was very bad, situated as many OF
them were on o ear the mountain top,
where they could get no water. and lie
was making every eXcrtion to have
those who could not walk conveyed to
the foot of h mountain. AS was
cropping my way along. very slowly, he
came up to me. | had peer personally
known to Gen. Kershaw q short time
previous to the war, having several
times visited his Office in Camden with
my father. He was then conducting
an estate matter in the courts for my
father. AS soon as he approached near
enough to discover my condition he
exclaimed: "Why, Hollcyman, what's
the trouble with you. my boy l was
very weak, having tainted twice from
loss OF blood before my wound was at
tended to and was in a condition to ex-
cite his pity. He got off his horse and
WIN ohc hCip VI IHS OlllccFS WIN aim
placed me in the saddle, but l could
not endure the jolting of the horse
even in q walk and L begged him to
have me taken down. After directing
me what course to pursue he reluctant
ly left me. This act of kindness made
me forget my pain and helped me to
overcome the difficulties before me.
Gen. Kershaw's conduct since the
war, in view OF the striving for office
on the part of his fellow surviving
officers. is somewhat remarkable. He
did consent to represent his county in
the State, but further promotion he
positively refused. With his wal pres
tige he could have been Governor of
his State, and could with ease have
gained q seat in the United States Con-
gress. He finally consented to assume
the judicial erminc, which he v%olunta-
rily aid aside a short while before his
death. 1t is useless for me to say any
thing c~ommendat"ry Of his course
while q Judge. His was Il knightly
SOUL. with Il heart as gentle as tho
gcntlest woman's. w. M. FL.
Waite Plains, s. G.