The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1895-08-08
The Horse Shoe at Spottsylvania.
MAGNIFICENT FItiHTING OF GEN
McGOW ANS BRIGADE.

MctSoW ANS BltlG.&Df.
Graphic story OF the Valor and
HcruiSm or South CarOiinianS at
the Bloody nglc-Scvcntccn Hours
Under Constant Fire.
The following narrative OF the splen'
did fighting Of McGuwnn's brigade Ill
the "lIorse Shoe in tho baltic oi
Spottsy on tho Eth OF May,
1864, is from the pen Of Col. J. II. Iiunt
Of Grecnvillc, and is copied from thc
Charleston Sunday News
GREENNILLl, 5. g., Dec. 10, 1881.
Col. j. N. Brown, Anderson, 5. g.
Dear Colonel: | hardly know how &c
reply to your favor OF recent date
thirty years is IL long while to rc,ncnl,
bcr occurrences accurately.
The few ariny p"pHrs that >uvcd
from the surrender at Appun'attuX
loaned to Lieut.. }. f.. j. Caldwell, and
they were misplaced, therefore | wills
have to rely cnCircly on memory.
However, the most important events
of the battle 10 which yuu iilu,tr arc
50 indclibly impressed upon my mind
that | can give them so that you or
anyone who was in the battle will re
coyniZc them as facts, not fancy.
This battle is not the first Instance
where the irillo Of our lighting have
been taken to decorate othcr com
mands, but hard facts and truth will
accord to Ms all the credit we nrc
entitled to--duty we'll performed.
AS you kIOA the brigade, with Gen.
MCGOWAN in command, wa, taken from
tho lines near SpotLs yivauia Court
House about sunrise on The morning Of
the 18th Of May. moved about Two
miles To the lcit. placed in line Of
battle and ordered 10 charge. After
charging about Il fourth of Il miiu The
brigade Ualtru, Gen. MuGuwun being
wounded. ut that time the position
OF the 18TH regiment was IN an open
field, an,l about iiity yards in rear OF /.
line of works occupied by Conf cdHrutc
troops, Il position whore We could do
no good. while objected to I; terrific
hrc from the enemy, somewhere on
our right. | saw Guu. Gordon passiur
and obtained permission to move the
regiment 10 The right iic ordered me
to take IL 10 TIC point where fighting
was the hardcaJ. In moving to the
right and in rear of the brigade |
failed TO sec any OF my .niors. Upon
inquiry | w;la told that I'll had been
kiiied or wounded, YOU included. |
found the right OF the brigade in 4 line
of works, Il short reserve line, which
did not extend 10 the left.
The smoke of the battle, added 10
the heavy atmosphere prevailing that
morning, prevented ne from seeing
the position OF the cnemy. | went to
the lst reg iment, ard with Lieut.. Cot.
Shooter stood on top Ol the works.
where we could see above the smoke,
and located their position, which
looked to be IL fort. from wnich tho
enemy WAS pouring II deadly fire into
the brigade. | did not know to whom
To apply for orders. 1t was evident
that we could not remain where We
were. We must either K treat or
charge. We determined upon the
latter, and ordered the Charge Lieut..
Col. Shooter accompanying me until
nc was killed. The brigade drove the
enemy out Of what proved to bu Il
salient instead Of Il fort and captured
Il few prisoners, who informed lis tnat
tncy had that morning surprised ana
captured one OF our divisions.
In order TO explain wnat the brigade
accomplished IL is necessary to give Il
description of the salient, which is
known by those who fought in it as
"thc Horse Shoe" or "Buody Bend"
The salient was situated on the crest
OF Il hill, and almost in the shape 0l Il
horse shoe with the heels wldcncd
with traverse protection and artillery
In the rear Of the right ilucl our art,l-
lGry had crescent shaped works to
protect their caisSOnS-thC base Of the
salient from heel TO heel was about
$50 yards and about the same distance
to the rear, the reserve line Of works.
where the brigade first halted, and
aSsumcd command.
| now come to the important query,
Tho charged, rccapturGd and held for
seventeen hours Bloody Bend ,"
do not hesitate TO say, and do not
anticipate serious contradiction, that
it was McGuwan's brigade. unassisted
by even Il squad OF organized troops
from any other command.
After recapturing the salient and
taking in the situation, found the
left OF the brigade connected with,
and possibly tapping other troops, the
right unprotected, and as far down the
line of works us | could sec they were
unoccupicdthc enemy holding the
opposite sidc--found tho guns Of our
. artillery had been run back and turned
against us Very soon the enemy
began to cross the works. on our right
and threaten our rear. | detached q
force, aud PLACED them in the crescent
= cnissOn works. and ch Ckcd their
movement to our rear. ii that posi-
tion VIC fought without an. material
change.
Every man present rcall "a inc
sitution was desperate and hcu badly
needed. Consulting with Office, in
reference to sending for reinforce.
mcnts, VIC decided that we could hold
our position for II while, That Cen.
i4oe was near the battle, knew oul
situation, and It's long as he could hcal
our guns would know VIC still held the
position. and send relief if possible
The rapid firing began to tell or
our ammunition, which would soon b,
, exhausted. | hcsitated to make &
detail, u' it was almost certain death
to attempt to leave the salient, anC
callcC for volunteers. Privutes VIM
Kelley and Chance Evans, Of the Isl
regiment, promptly responded anC
nobly performed their pcrilOns duty
bringing ammunition from the rear ir
boxes and tent llics to supply MS during
the entire engagement. We canno,
give thrln too much praise for thcil
daring bravery.
Nrur p. m. the enemy, about ten
PAGES to the right, raised the white
Nag. ordered firing to cease, anu
meta gnncrai who pcrUmptOrily dc