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

was that Col. Spencer, who was after.
ward with me in the Senate frer
Alabama, commanded the rear brigade
OF hls column, and that it was his eiutv
10 posi- tho p1okets and guards. Spen.
Ger, on the other hand, denied this
ana fxed the responsibility on XII,
patrlcK' Of course, could not SETTLE
tsna' cohtroVersy and left it where
Gen. Fitzpatrick further said TINT bs
walked WA out about daylight that morn.
- 20 90 was ms custom, to look after
nls horses. He heard our veil Nv Sa
broke into bis camp, and said 70 90 him me
sell, MY God, here is a ma ior aeneraI's' "aI''
So.n,,nission, , earned alter four years,
uo ,h hghtlng, gone up in a surprise:n
oh"S aoout That time o man rushed m
~ ~ hlm and said: "Where 10 Co.. !
hdd,patrlck :" and that he renlied
nere ne goes on that black bors.1
v"e 9ne oi MS men was esGapinp unnn
u uiaoh horse3 that he, Kllpa,rick.
mounted In dishablle and escano11'
Tho Confederate who accosteS S"PGu. i
ieft MIN aud pursued the man on tho
o!acS morse, and thus by a ruse "he,
saved his bacon"
nave never ascertaiced who this
man was, but my theory ia til at IN his.
anxiety to take Fitzpatrick prisoner he
was naturally misled and dropoed the
su Distance to pursue the shadow ION a
0lack horse.' Be that as it NAV.
WrlghCs brigade charged clear
ItnIrrouen the camp, and when I reached
h,lpatrick's headquarters, in front oi
which were packed his artillery. waoons
ana ambulances, Wright had rushed
through i'll Ike q whirlwind. Antiuipat.g =
ing that there would be more or less
CONFUSION alter the first onset, | had
'elt Laws brigade near the entrance
oi tne camp, to be ordered in to reap
the fruits of Wrights charge. Tom
dlsmay and disappointment | learned
mat Law had been ordered awav from.
where had left him, and there / was. in.
Cne midst OF hostile camp with no
support but my sta n and couriers. T.
hao possession of Kilpatrck's head.
quarters and trains, awaiting Wheeler's
and Laws arrival. Wright's com m5nd!
was, OF course, scattered after his, inn
petuOuS charge.
Gen. wheeler joined me in q short
time, and on my inquiring for his cong
mani, ne replied that he han, ens
countered an impossible bog, and had
TO send it around by the route + haS .
taken. MEANWHILE. Kilpatr,ok's. . dis.
mounted men, numbering about |, 500
men, as we we're informed, ral1iedi
somewhat from the panic, and opened
destructive fire from behind pine
trees with their rapid-fire carbines,
and drove us out. l. succeeded in
ral!ying part OF the Cobb Legion,
and with gallant Lieut.. Col: King al
their head, charged K,lpatrick's men,
who had reached their artillery. We
lost slXty-two meD in five minutes,
among the number the lamcnted Col.
King, who fell gallantly leading almost
forlofn hope. -.
: Fitzpatrick reached Sherman's in
fantry In time to bring up division
TO his rescue, and we had:t withdrawE
But Tor the untowed obstruction of'au..
lnpassable swamp to Gen. Wheeler's.
march. which could not have been fore.
seen in the darkness of the night, and :
the removal Of Laws brigade, We
should have reaped the full fruit of our
successful surprise, and taken in Kill
patrick's entire camp, and possiblV
have made him a prisoner. We moved
on and camped that night within four
miles of Fayetteville, N. G. I'm his;
c1t report Gen. Fitzpatrick says he !,
lost l3O prisoners. In this ne is GER
tainly mistaken. NV provost guard
the next day had 475 prisoners, all
taken !:oa his camp. | have neven
! earned whether Gen. Wheeler's guard
had any prisoners, and, therefore, can:
not speak as to that, but have a. vsa:y
distinct recollection as to those in my
charge.