The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-11-18


consultation between himself, Gen.
Wheeler and myself, 1t was decided to
attack Fitzpatrick the next morning at
daylight. In order to do so moro ad-
vantugoously, tho whole column moved
Onward from whore wo captured the
detachment, In columns OF fours, eau.
,iously and quietly, about four miles,
whore wo halted and dismounted on
the roadside without unsaddling and
Without fires. The night was dark
With II cold, dri1zllng rain. | can
never forgot that night as we lay with
,ut shelter or food for man or horses,
oaoh man with his bride on his arm.
l threw out some distance in our
'front.', on each side OF tho road, q line
OF dlsmounted skirmishers. They had
'carcely deDfoyed when one of Kilpat
ricKs neutenants walked or rode into
'no ltne. lie was brought to my head
quarters, u pine log on the roadside
*ud on being interrogated as to why
ne was there at that time of the night
ue rePlled that be had been sent back
70 iook Tor q b:oken down wagon, and
nao walked unawares into our picket
ines. He was not inclined to be com
municatlVe, but | learned enough to
ehaole mo TO locate X lpatrick's camD
pretty accurately. On the strength of
'hls information we reconnoited his
camp ABOUT midnight riding up almos,
10 ais camp ires. Not u picket was
posted, nor other precaution taken as
lar as we could discover, to protect his
camp against surprise. My conclusion
az tne time was, (Which was confirmed
6y Gen. Fitzpatrick in q conyersation
had with bin since the wary that tbn
detachment Of the 5th Kentucky was
expected to perform that duty, and in
steao they had been made prisoners of
war without firing " shot and without
uls kno" ledge. So you see the i'm
portant bearing of their capture.
fitzpatrick had moved around the head
OF the swamp, and bivouacked with
the swamp behind him, and the order
Of the attack was arranged as follows
My division, WrighL's brigade now
oeing In front, was to be closed up in
column OF regiments before daylight,
SO as to enable Wheeler, stretched
back the full length of his large divi-
sion III columns Of fours, to close up
was to follow up the line of march
taken up by Fitzpatrick, move around
the head Of the swamp, and enter his
camp from the left Wheeler was to
turn to the right from about the point
where the head of my column was
located, and move to the right through
the open pine woods and come from
the rear, rs nearly simultaneously
with my attack 8s possible. Accord
lngly, when [ learned that Wheeler
mad turned Off to the right, | moved
forward up the road.
Meanwhile Il had directed Col.
Wright to select u squadron, whose
commander he could vouch for, and
order him to report for instruction.
My recollection is that he selected
Capt Bostick, Of the Cobb Legion land
II l am in error in this | trust that
some survivor Of that splendid gallant
regiment will correct me.)
My Instructions were that the lead
ing squadron should rush into the
camp, surround the house whore Kill
patrick made his headquarters and
remain there, if possloie, until we
could occupy the camp, and make XII.
patrick prisoner. | further in
structed Col. Wright to follow up the
adlngi squadron by throwing a regi-
ment AZ time into the camp; that !
would have Laws brigade 80 posted as
TO 90 to the rescue at the proper time.
Wright moved promptly, followed by
Law In trot just before the dawn Of
uay ho charged pcll-mell into the
camp, and as l. turned the head of the
We were greeted with IL scene of the
Widest combustion. Asquad of about
l3O COntederates came rushing frant.-
cally towards us, and at first we sup
posed or feared that Wright had been
repuised, and yet could not understand
now ;hat could be-, us his rear regi-
ment had left us not more than two
minutes. Oar minds were soon re-
'leved on that score, as the Confed-
crates turned out t. be prisoners VIII
tore away. from their guards when
Wright. rushed in, and were making
good their escape. The poor fellows
reported thcy'Were half starved on the
march with K 'lpatriclS, and naturally
neyolced> 10 their. deliverance.. Our
men aroused the sleeping. Federals and
captured four hundred and seventy
five.
At this point let me relate what
Gen. Fitzpatrick said of this event in q
conversation with me after. the war.
told him we had riddeL up to his
oauip fires tine night before, without
| being challenged by his picket or even
| camp guard, and expressed surprise
that he had not taken this natural pre-
caution that he paid Il very poor compli-
ment to our vigilance and enterpriye,
which thought was scarcely justified
by past experience. His explanation