The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-11-16

cally towards us, and at first we su
posed or feared that Wright had bee
repulsed, and yet could not understar
J now that could be, as his rear reg
ment had left us not more than tv
minutes. Our minds were soon r
1eved on that score, as the Confet
crates turned out to be prisoners WI
tore away from tneir guards whe
Wright rushed in, and were maxim
good their escape. The poor fellow
reported they were half starved on tn
march with Fitzpatrick, and natural II
reJoiced in their deliverance. Gu
men aroused the sleeping Federals an
captured four hundred and seventy
five.
AT this point let me relate wha
Gen. Fitzpatrick said of this event In
conversation with me after the wa,
L told him we had riddeL up to hi
camp fires the night before, withou
being challenged by his picket or ever
camp guard, and expressed surpris,
that he had not taken this natural pre-
cautio1 That he paid very poor compli
ment to our vigilance and enterprise
which thought was scarcely justifieC
by past experience. His explanation
was that Col. Spencer, who was after
ward with me in the Senate from
Alabama, commanded the rear brigade
OF his column, and that it was his duty
TO post tho pickets and guards. Spen.
Ger, on the other hand, denied this
and fixed the responsibility on Xii.
patrick. or course, could not settle
that controversy and lei, II whore ]
found it.
Gen. Fitzpatrick further said that he
walked out about daylight that morn
ing, as was his custom, to look after
his horses. He heard our yell as we
broke into his camp, aud said to him
sell, My God, here is q major generals s
commission, earned after four years
hard lighting, gone up in a surprise;"
that about that time man rushed up
10 him and said: "Where is Gen.
Fitzpatrick 2" and that he replied
There he goes on that black borse." I"
las one of his men was escaping upon
black horse y that he, Fitzpatrick,
mounted in dishabille and escaped.
mo Confederate who accosted him
left him and pursued the man on the
black horse, and thus by ruse she
saved his bacon"
l have never ascertaired who this
man was, but my theory is that in his
anxiety to take Fitzpatrick prisoner he
was naturally misled and dropped the
substance to pursue the shadow "on q
black hOrse.' BE that as it NAV,
Wrighrs brigade charged clear
through the camp, and when reached
hilpatrlck's headquarters, in front of
winch were packed his artillery, wagons
and ambulances. Wright had rushed
through like whirlwind Antivipat-
ing that there would be more or less
confusion after the first onset, | had
left Laws brigade near the entrance
ci the camp, to be ordered in to reap
the fruits Of Wrights charge. To nv
dlsmay and disappointment | learned
that Law had been ordered away from
where l had left him, and there was, In
the midst OF hostile camp with no
support but my staff and couriers.
mad possession of Kilpatrick's head
uarters ana trains, awaiting Whecler's
and Laws arrival. Wright's command
was, OF course, scattered after his i'm
petuous charge.
Gen. Wheeler joined me in short
time, and on my inquiring for his com
mani, he replied that he had en-
countered an impossible bog, and had
to send it around by the route | had
taken. Meanwhile Kiipatrick's dis
men, numbering about 800 |
men, rs we were informed, rallied |
somewhat from the panic, and opened |
destructive fire from behind pine |
trees with their rapd-irc carbines,
ana drove us out. | succeeded in |
Tallying part Of the Cobb Legion,
and with gallant Lieut.. Col. King at |
their head, charged Kilpatrick's men,
who had reached their artillery. We |
lost siXty.two men in five minutes. |
among the mum Der the lamcntcd Col |
King, who fell gallantly leading almost
4 forlorn hope.
Fitzpatrick reached Sherman's in |
Tantry in time to bring up a division |
TO his rescue, and we had to withdraw.
But for the untowed obstruction of an |
lmpassable 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 |
successiul surprise, and taken in Kill |
patrick's entire camp, and possibly
nave made him a prisoner. We moved |
on and camped that night within four
miles of Fayetteville, N. G. IN his |
Official report Gen Fitzpatrick says he
lost l3O prisoners. In. this ne Is GER
talnly mistaken. NV provost guard
the next day had 475 prisoners, all
taken from his camp. | have never
learned whether Gen. Whceler's guard
mad any prisoners, and, therefore, can
not speak as to that, but have a very
distinct recollection as to those in my
charge.