The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1895-07-04


slowly, the heat was intense. and tn,
men were suffering from thirst an,
hunger. The creek water did no
satisfy them, and the ralionS wrr,
growing scarce and unpalatable. The,
gathered under the bridge, and tn,
old soldiers RECALLED the militia Will
grcwsomc tales Of war as they had seer
it. Camp jokes and breezy songs fol
lowed until i o'clock in The afternoon
when the sharp crack of Il rifle on the
nils brought every one To his place
along the line, and III few minutes
some OF our NideltcS were seen coming
in haste to o;u us. The cucmv was,
almost IN sight, and the first courier tu
arrive said they were very numerous.
The advance guard of Gen. Wilson
quickly dove in the balance of our
pickcts, except two or three who were
cut IN, and who c,'ncealcd themselves
in the woods until the fight WAS over.
1t was not very long until the en-
envy began to appear upon the hills
Their artillery was soon uniiml,crcd
and only & few moments elapsed
until shells were bursting all around
us. They undertook to get the range
of the bridge, and one gul, was evil
dcutly trying to shoot into the r"d of
the bridge, meeting with success now
and then. The squadrons OF cavalry
were dying in every direction, and the
Whole earth seemed to be alive with
horses and riders. Cavalry always did
excite me with the trampiny of horses
and the clanginy Of sabrrs, but these
N al In ttt,.. a ~, I,, f.,
and SO | felt more serious when il was
apparcn; that this dying around meant
that the cavalrymen were dismountinw
for close conflict with us. The shell
ing was still furious aad growing more
nrplraSant every moment. To add TO
the discomfort of the situation, our
own Inexperienced artillery on the
s0uthsidc began to respond 10 the
compliments sent forth from The op-
pOsitc hills. and instead OF using shot
and shell with the expectation OF
reaching the enemy, the .sunnerS put
i'll grace and canister which fell all
around us. sent private Fcnlon, Of
The Maryland artillery, with a mes
sagc to the commandaut on The other
side. He went across the bridge ln
der the fire of The cnrmy's guns to
stop the firing of our own artillery.
ami watched his red cap with Il great
deal OF interest us he emerged from The
bridge and aSccnucd the hill To the
!ort. My Instructions were for him to
ask the privilege of directing the guns
against the enemy, and in default
thereof /" cease firing altogether.
In the meanwhile the dismounlrd
cavalry were getting into battle array.
The lines were formed near The Stl-
ton, and they began to move in our
direction. Evidently It WAS the in,rn-
ton OF the cncr.y to crush our small
Iorcc at once with superior numbers
Column after column was masscd in
the meadow and then sent forward.
The ground was being covered very
rapidly by the advancing hosts, ,nd
the dead silence which prevailed along
my line rs they got nearer must have
deceived them. My orders were for
cvclN man to keep on the ground be-
hind the hrcaStworkS, which were
only two or three feet high, and when
the first line of the r..cmy had crossed
the ditch in our front, the command
would be given 20 Firc!' As H.
ready stated this ditch was not more
than Sevcnly-livC yards in our front,
and when The men rose with the rebel
yell and poured a vollcy into the ranks
Of the enemy, there was great con-
Stcrnation and Il hasty retreat.
The battle was joined in desperate
earnest, and when the EcIeraIs lc-
covered from their surprise there was
a rally of the scattered forces prepare
tory to another charge. The troops
were masscd even more closely than
before, and their movements seemed
quicker and more determined, but the
fatal ditch was an obstruction which
they never passed aga,n. Oul men
reserved their fire once more, but they
were growing inpatient, and did moi
wait to see whether the Fedcrals would
attempt another crossing of the dutch
The second charge was rcpulscd
with rqnal gallantry, show ny Il deter
mined resistance ON our side, but IT
required longer time and heavier fir
ing 10 drive them back. Then follow
ed IL logger interval between the
charges, but for the third time the rf
fort was made by the scrricL ranks of
the enemy to press forward 10 The goal
of their ambition. 80 far as they
could sec there was no impression be-
ing made on our line, and they were
no nearer thc capture Of the bridge
than when they first came in sight of
ii. This thir' charge was resisted as
before, and with equal success.
The sun was going behind The hills,
but as yet there was no sign that Gen.
w. II. +. Lee had reached the cmrmy's
rear. His appearance on the scene
would mean relief for our little band,
as we knew that with the coming of
night the Fcdcra,s would have the adj
vantage, for they could easily make
approaches To our line by digging rifle
pts, and by ,his means hem Us in on
three sides. Daylight was important
for the solution Of the problem, and
when the Fcdcrals gathered for The
! fourth charge there were miSYivings as
to the result. On they came, however,
and they were met with CALLING iirC
of muskctry watch grew even more
! furious as their lines came nearer. 1t
| was during this charge that .cn and