The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-01-20
9uaesseR yutelIigeuees.
CHRISTMAS IN WAR TIMES,
Battle With SnowbalIs.

Captain "Tip" Harrison, il, .Itlanta
Journal.
Early in December, 1862, General
Lee took up a defensive position along
the southern bank of the Rappahan-
mock river. General Burnside had been
appointed to the command of the Army
of the Potomac in place of McClelland,
removed. He was ordered to advance
on to Richmond. He attempted to
obey his instructions, but the Army
of Northern Virginia under Lee, Long
street and Jackson, assisted by A. ?.
Hill, Lafayette McLaws, John B.
Hood, Jubal Early, Pickett, Stuart,
Barksdale, Tom Cobb, Kershaw, Gregg
Hoke, Evans, Ransom, Walker and
others confronted him and his we'll
organized, well equipped legions, and
hurled them back.
The road to Richmond was not easy
to travel, and many are living to-day
who bear testimony to the obstacles
that lined that highway.
The clash of the two armies on the
18th and 18th days of December came
in the midst of freezing cold spell,
and when the conflict ended the Con-
federates were sent up and down the
river to find suitable quarters for
winter. In few days the battle was
apparently forgotten. and the sound of
axes resounded through the woods,
above and below Fredericksburg, as
the men set busily to work to erect
huts for the winter. By Christmas
most of the commands had built rude
structures, and all were housed, after
a fashion. The boys were supplied
with pretty fair rations and with boxes
from home occasionally they managed
to appease the pangs of hunger.
The average Confederate soldier was
jolly young fellow, and always made
the most of his surroundings. He
did not expect to be lavishly supplied
with necessities, and luxuries were
talked about around the freside, but
never enjoyed only in their dreams.
Singing classes were formed and the
old Carminia Sacras were broughtforth
from the boxes of teamsters (who were
always ready to take care of such
things as the men in line found it out
of the question to carry with them on
campaign), and the camp resornded
at night with melody.
Those piously inclined would hold
prayer meetings, and many Of the
soldiers seemed to be wonderfully
sustained by the simple faith and trust
in the God they worshipped.
"Winter quarters meant many
privations and hardships, but the
period was always welcomed by the
men. It brought quietude and rest,
and the thoughts of fierce conflicts
were for the time forgotten. AS mis-
erable as the shanties were, they
afforded shelter from the wind and
SHOWS, and with large freplaces and
plenty of wood, the boys made them.
selves comparatively comfortable, and
were jolly and happy, They would
write home, and home folks would
cheer them with letters from home.
The mails would bring the blessings
of wives, mothers and sweethearts,
and the hearts Of the brave Confed-
crates beat with pride and patriotism.
Soon after we settled down for the
winter the heaviest snow ever saw
spread itself over Old Virginia, and
for want of other occupation and
pastime the different commands in
dulged in snowfghts. First squads Of
men, then company against company,
regiment against regiment, until finally
brigades fought mimic battles with
snowballs.
Early one morning Hoke's brigade
of North Carolinians appeared in front
of the camp of Lawton's Georgia
brigade and mockingly demanded the
surrender of the camp. Colonel Gle
ment A. Evans was in command of
our brigade and quickly ordered us
out to repel the threatened attack of
Hoke's 'Tar Heels.
The Thirty-frst and Thirty y-eighth
Georgia regiments were occupying that
part Of the camp where Hoke appeared
with his six regiments Of sturdy, jolly
North Carolinians. Our two regiments
formed in line quickly to defend the
camp, and hastily summoned the other
four regiments, the Thirteenth, Twen-
ty-sixth, Sixtieth and Sixty-frst
Georgia, to our assistance.
Hoke, like a good general that he
was, did not wait until his enemy was
fully prepared to meet him, but ordered
forward his Tar Heels. They came at
us with the usual "rebel yell" and
with haversacks and hands filled with
hard snowballs. They aanked US,
drove us, ran over US, and pressed on
to the center of our camp. There they
met the other regiments, which had
formed to check their progress, and it
was soon apparent to those of US who
had been routed at the first onslaught
that the Tar Heels had spent their
strength. We quickly reformed and
dragging our skulking crowd from their
huts, charged the North Carolinians
in the rear. 80 '5ssa
1t was then their turn to break, and
in a twinkling they were broken,
routed and driven out of our camp.
We captured their mounted officers,
their flags and made prisoners Of hun
dreds Of their men. 1t was three miles
to their camp, and the rout ended only
when the broken fragments of Hoke' S