The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-03-06
A WAR SKETCH.

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West Point in my last. 1t was on the
7th day of May. 1862. You will not
see it recorded in any of the school
histories, I don't think. Neverthe-
less, it was one Of the battles of the
war-not Of the rebellion, as the yam
koes want to term it-but the war be-
tween the States, and will be remem-
bered by great many of us as our
initiatory battle. Ben White, re-
cruit, who went out when I did,
amused US a good deal that day by
warning US constantly to keep a sharp
look out for sharp-shooters up the
trees. 1t was very common practice
with the yankees to climb trees and
sharp-shoot at us at long range.
The night we left the West Point
battle ground We marched the entire
night and until up in the day the next
day, passing New Kent Court House
and close to where George Washington
first met his wife. Rain set in and
we had a muddy march of it from that
time until re got to Richmond, stop
ping to wait on the wagon train and
the heavy Artillery to get across the
Chickahominy at a Church mile or
two from the Chickahominy. While
there farmer living near our camp
had large quantity Of leaf tobacco in
the "hand," which he gave to the
soldiers. 1t was a great treat to those
who used the weed About sun
down, as if it was thought to be better
travelling at night than in the day
time, we resumed our march, and by
hard work we got across the Chicka-
hominy about midnight, having to
stand greater part Of the time wait
ing on the wagons and Artillery to get
across the swamp or bottoms ahead Of
us. We crossed at what was known
as Bottoms Bridge, and the mud was
nearly knee deep on the bridge, and
three times that deep in places along
the road. However, it did not take
us long to fall asleep when we got the
opportunity after we got out on the
hill. Graf. Irby and I slept together,
making our bed on brush pile, and
we'll we did, for an hour Or two after
we went to bed there came up regu-
lar spring-time thunder shower, which
fell in torrents for more than an hour.
Warren Maroney said he stood it very
we'll until the water backed up against
him and commenced to run over him
like a mill dam, and he had to rise
and seek new quarters.
After having to bring up the rear
doing the picketing and skirmishing
nearly all the way from Yorktown, we
were allowed to pass inside the lines
to the rear of the army around Rich
mond and take a few days of much
needed rest. We had the monotomy
of muddy marching, skirmishing and
picketing broken occasionally when
we did get to rest by the camp fire a
few hours by the sweet strains Of
music produced by Jordan Green,
Charlie Hoke and Charlie Murrell, on
the violin. Jim Howard, as brave a
man as was ever put up in SO small
a bundle, carried the fiddle all the
way from Yorktown to Richmond.
The last days Of May we broke up
camp and marched up north Of Rich
mond on the Brooks Turnpike, staying
up there one night and until about
noon the next day (31st Of May), when
we started in the direction of White
Oak Swamp, where we could hear the
battle raging. We had to double
quick two or three Of the last miles,
arriving at the front about an hour
before sun set. We were carried right
into the battle under a heavy fire of
grape and canister as we'll as musketry.
don't think we were actively engaged
more than half an hour, but we lost
more men, killed and wounded, than
we did in any one battle during the
war, to my recollection. The killed
of our company were R. N. Bradley,
J. J. Carr, S. J. Gary, Lewis Green,
Thomas Green, Harvey Kelley, W. T.
Powers, G. P. Richardson, j. H. Will
son and Reuben Wilson. The wound
ed we're Lieutenant E. II. Acker, W.
B. Acker, W. II. H. Ariail, W. B. J.
Barnett. 7. B. Bennett (and prisoner),
w. D. Bennett, J. G. Bruce. B. +.
Green, Augustus NJ. Hamilton, j. H.
Kohler (and prisoner), j. J. Riley,
w. R. Rankin, Garrison Timms and
w. F. McWhorter who died Of his
wounds. Company G.. lost IA killed
dead on the field. I think it was some
IS or 80 killed in the Battalion (as il
was then composed Of seven compan'
ies), and over a hundred wounded-s
veritable slaughter pen. In this en-
gagement, which we called "Sever
Pines battle" (thc yankees called il
"battle Of Fair Oaks'') our brigade
commander, Col. Wade Hampton, wa:
wounded in the foot; also the army
commander, Gen. Joseph E. Johnston
was badly wounded. Gen. R. E. Lee
at that time and place assumed com
mand of the army Of Northern Vir
ginia. OF those Of our Company wht
were wounded at Seven Pines, W. B
Acker, w. B. ]. Barnett and ". r
Rankin were discharged.
tt is surprising how the Yankee his