The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-11-17

ing his sabre over his head with a
goodbye, boys" at full speed the
fellow dashed into their smoke, Or
dering them to cease firing, not know
ing whether they were friend or foe,
or but that the next shot would blow
him into kingdom come. Fortu-
natcly, it was cur battery. 1t was
said Church killed three men with his
sabre that day. But this article is too
long, and "the half has never yet been
told.
The enemy fought wcll-sullenly
retiring before our general advance all
along the line, and crossed the Kappa
hammock. We lost very heavily.
Among others Senator, then Colonel,
Butler, one Of our most gallant "sa-
brcurs," lost his leg; Lieutenant Col
onel Frank Hampton, Senator Hamp-
tons brother, was killed in the glori-
Gus fight made by their regiment, the
Second South Carolina cavalry: which
was badly cut up. An infantry col
onel, who was on a visit to the "Fight-
ing First North Carolina (Tar Heels)
cavalry, and who went in with them
to see if there was any fight in the
cavalry, was also killed. Our regi-
ment lost 81 outof 129. My company
had u killed, % men out Of the q
who went in either killed or wounded,
captured or their horses killed. Rog-
crs' company, from Burke County, the
other company of my squadron, was
also cut to pieces. Being but boy
at the time, Iremember but little save
what was impressed on me at the mo-
ment. Yet it does seem strange that
the charge that saved the field and
was the turning point Of the greatest
cavalry battle of the war has never
been "written up, although acknowl-
ed at the time. We had no infantry,
and fought Slocum's corps Of infantry
and all the Federal cavalry from day
light until dark-a charge that from
it's results achieved as much as any
charge, as up to that time they were
crowding us in all directions, had
broken through CUR lines at Stevens
burg and captured General Stuart's
headquarters, near the center Of the
semi-circle of our line Of fight.
General Stuart had between $4,000
and 5000 cavalry and horse artillery;
the enemy between $4,000 and 10000
cavalry, artillery and infantry. Hoods
division Of 10000 muskets at Culpcp-
per, G. H., was not called for, although
offered to General Stuart.
This engagement was caused by a
reconnaissance by the enemy to un-
mask General Lees movements and
ascertain his whereabouts, which was
defeated and foiled by the cavalry, as
again at Uppcrville and again and
again, until the armies "butted up
against each other at Gettysburg,
caused by the absence of our cavalry
who were off on raid for "Pennsyl-
vania buttermilk," our infantry said.
Gettysburg would never have been
fought had the cavalry been with
General Lee, for they would have kept
him posted as to the movements of the
enemy, Do not think I am writing
cavalry history. Yet a few facts con-
cerning our commissariat and quarter
master departments as we'll as ordi-
nance are apropos.
First, we had to mount ourselves,
and if poor devil got his horse killed
or disabled, and was unable to buy or
capture one, he had to 60 afoot.
Second, I do not believe thai in
any year of the war had we regular
rations furnished us for three months
of the year q know it would not aver
age that, and it was weeks at time
that we did not see our wagon servants
or baggage. AS for tents, we had
nome three soft fence rails luxury;
smooth rock for a pillow, god
send"
Third, we had inferior equipments
of all kinds miserable saddles that
ruined our horses backs; rotten
leather for brides and straps: "tin
sabres;' patched up firearms, indif-
ferent ammunition, whenever we could
get any from Richmond, and all that
was any good was what we captured.
Fourth, our service on the Sharps-
burg and Gettysburg campaigns nota-
bly, was an almost daily and often
nightly fight. and our poor horses did
not have the saddles Of their backs
sometimes for over a week at a time
as the enemy were all a.ound as-and
with nothing to eat but green apples.