Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-09
sEvEN PINES.
"Reminiscences OF nm Old Soldier
Some Incidents of the Battle.
By Colonel Del Kemper.)

thunder crashing and reverberating
ushered H. a torrent OF rain that IL Il
did not sweep all the tents away 1t swep
under and around them, permeatinl
everything and everybody; how. in tha
black darkness the men who walked with
gutter undermining them stood up bu
10 have a smaller current rushing dowr
their vertebra? 1t was a wild night and
much language, unparliamentary, 1 am
afraid, was used before the dawn was
ushered in and the long roll reused oul
camps, and fall I'm men" changed the
current OF our thoughts.
On the roads over which tho troops
marched that bright May morning, rain
drops sparkled on every leaf. The sweet
! brier, wild rose, and flowers innumerable
| exhaled their sweetness on the morning
air, and hundreds of old Virginia song
birds united in one glad TIE Deum as we
| passed along between the hedge rows, all
unconscious of that days coming tragedy.
| After wading swollen streams. plunging
through mud and mire. the column struck
the Williamsburg road, down which we
continued our march-mighty tired, a lit
tie soiled, and damp, and fighting mad.
why could not old joe (of blessed
memory have picked out better day."
said some. but they were silenced by our
regimental strategist, who had received
dispatch by the grapevine telegraph"
that Little Mac" was crossing the
Chickahominy in ferryboats. and so We
wandered and stumbled on.
About this time a handsome, dashing
young staff officer, well mounted rides up
10 our colonel, touches his hat. speaks a
few words, and the command, Forward
double quick march, rings out. The
men swing out In a run; the young
NJ 7 1.
death. We follow, and right Unto the
jaws Of death rushed the six hundred"
Every step brings to our view the marks
Of where the battle opened-dead men,
dead horses, overturned limbers, by
Stribling's battery. stuck fast in the mud
but whose officers and men were strug-
Cling heroically and under heavy fire to
bring their guns into action, through
streams of wounded men and stragglers
falling back, the latter type Of all
such, with the old story of their com
mands having been cut to pieces and they
only left TO tell the narrowing story.
About l o'clock the sound Of the first
guns OF the battle was borne to our ears,
and our command moved TO the right OF
the road in an open field, stacked arms
opened haversacks, cut our teeth on some
bareback. and listened 10 the music in
our front, which ran the gamut from the !
dull booming of artillery to the saving, |
rafting sound OF small arms. This was |
not calculated to brace US up, but we |
were comforted by the assurance Of our |
strategist that we were to be held in re-
serve. This delusion was sharply ended |
about o'clock by the command, Fall in |
men, and again we moved back upon |
the Williamsburg road, the head OF the
column turning in the direction Of the |
firing. and we feel our time has come.
Now We strike the hail Of shot and shell
around. Shell with fuses we'll
cut burst over our column as II rushes
on, wide gaps are made as men are
struck down and out; the command "close
up men, rises out and over the
noise Of the battle as left in front we CO.
to the right at Casey's camp,
or Bakers house. we halt for a moment
TO close up and for breath; the enemy,
yet unseen, pour in an incessant fire
which sweeps the plateau as we emerge
from behind woodpile for the charge.
Now amid the roar and tumult of the
battle the shouts Of the captains the dun
-hud Of the bullets as they strike home
are heard, and men fall around as autumn
caves. Down go our cOlors, only to be
inatched from the nerveless hand to be
waved aloft, TO fall again. till passing
through three gallant hands, We fan back
everse side Of the enemy's works Here
ne return their fire as best we may and
lold the enemy In check.
New troops are rushed in with the same
esult, 10 help us to hold the works car
led by our troops.
Early in the day. arrived among them
,olonel Moore with his regiment Of Ala
amians. The writer and several others
egged him to dismount and walk under
ff he . s...r-1--
used, and had only gone a few yards
'hen he was knocked from his horse, and
re ran 10 help him. IT'S no use, boys;
am gone" he said. Where are you
truck. Colonel?" and ne replied by put :
ng his hand 10 his side. We took off
is sword-belt. opened his coat, and found
minie-ball had struck in the centre Of
Is watch and buried itself there, but
ad not entered his body. We righted
I'm up. babe him godspeed. and saw him
art for his position on our right Be
re going far we saw him fall again.
It'll what result We never knew. as our j
lnds were too full in keeping back the L
iemy in our front. They advanced their II
Tors several times to form as.ilne Of a
large when I'm turn their colors fell II
ider our fire and they could not form -
cir line OF battle. n
General Kempcr called for a volunteer A
carry an order. and Tom Fitzhugh. the II
ide Of his mess, stepped up, touched =
8 cap, and said: General, / am at 10
iur service" 1 can see him now as he =
bod there with his manly form, the y,
ughing blue eyes the handsome face lit 10
with the glow OF excitement before "
ming the gauntlet Of fire that was 10 Fl
q his bright career. He returned but ca
IN shattered arm. saying in his a,
eery way, Tile II up, Major; / have II
N my ribbon to-dayr Yes, l tied up l.
e arm. but his life ebbed away. and his III
me and his gallant deeds like many -
hers, have passed from the memory OF
IN.
I'm officer reported to General Kemper
II q field officer was wanted on our y
hit All had been killed or wounded, q
d The men were without officers There IT
s another call for volunteers for this L
ty, and the writer offered to go. J.
'aight 10 the right meant DEATH as the -
was filed with death-dealing missives. l.
straight TO the rear l ran and was A.
ocked over without being SERIOUSLY hurt
I arrived at the position only in time
see one or two OF our brigades strike 4,
enemy's flank and close this bloody ~
?. Hindsight criticism though II 4
II we had been put in where these
gades were. II would have ended the | RI
II long before and saved many brave I
ms life. bf
fter the battle comes the sad duty
interrlng our dead: the open trenches
h the lines OF men In group, who stood
ether In life but yesterday now once CT,
20 foOQfhpr I'm death fha few ahors