Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1898-01-06
"REMINISCENCES OF AN OLD
SOLDIER.
Some Incidents of the Battle of Seven
Pines, May 81, 1862.

| Some Incidents of the Battle of Seven
Pines, May 81, 1862.
(By Col. Del Kemper, late Consul to AmoyJ
Do you recollect the night before the
battle IN our camps when lightning, fierce,
vivid almost binding, followed by thun-
der crashing and reverberatlng, ushered
in torrent of rain, that if it did not
sweep all the tents away it swept under
and around them, permeatlng everything
and everybody. How in that black dark
ness the men who walked with gutter
undermining them stood up but to have
a smaller current rushing down their
vertebra ? 1t was wild night and much
language parliamentary, am afraid,
was used before the dawn was ushered in
and the long roll reused our camps, and
''fall in men" changed the current of our
thoughts.
On the roads over which the troops
marched that bright May morning, rain
drops sparkled on every leaf. The sweet
brer 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, plungfng
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 ''grape vine telegraph
that Little Mac" was crossing the
Chickahominy in ferry boats, and so we
wandered and stumbled on.
About this time a handsome, dashing
young staff officer, well mounted, rides up
to QUIZ 0lonel, touches his hat, speaks a
few words, and the command, forward!
double quick March ~ rings out The
men swing out in run; the young officer,
Lawrence Meem, rides ON to his death.
We follow, and right Into 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 struggling heroical-
y and udder 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 commands having been cut
to pieces and they only left to tell the
narrowing story.
About 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
hardtack and listened TO the music in our
front, which ran the gamut from the dull
booming of artillery to the saving, rat
tling sound of small arms. This was not
calculated to brace us up, but we were
comforted by the assurrence of our STRAIT
eglst that we were to be held in reserve.
This delusion was sharply ended about 4
O'Clock by the command "Fall in men !"
and again we moved back upon the Will
liomsburg 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 4
plunging around; shell with fuses we'll
cut burst over our column as it 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 60. Wheeling
to the right at Casey's Camp or Baker s
house, we halt for moment to close up
and and for breath; the enemy, yet un-
seen. pour in an incessant fire which
sweeps the plateau as we emerge from be-
hind wood pile for the charge.
Now amid the roar and tumult of the
battle the shouts of the captains, the dull
thud Of the bullets as they strike bone
are heard. and men fall around as autumn
leaves. Down go our colors, only to be
snatched from the nerveless hand to be
waved aloft, to fall again, till passing
through three gallant hand, we fall back
by command still under Its folds to the
reverse side of the enemy's works. Here
we return their fire as best we may and
hold the enemy in check.
New troops are rushed in with the same
result, to help us to hold the works car
ried by our troops.
Early in the day, arrived among them
Colonel Moore with his regiment Of Ala
bamians. The writer and several others
begged him to dismount and walk under
cover of the earth-works, he promptly re-
fused and had only gone a few yards when
he was knocked from his horse, and we
ran to help him. Its no use, boys, am
gone" be said. where are you struck,
Colonel? ?' and he replied by putting his
hand to his side. We took off his sword
belt, opened his coat aud found mimic
ball had struck in the centre Pf his watch
and buried itself there, but Lad not en-
tered his body. We righted him up. bade
him GOd-speed, and saw hiIn start for his
position on our right. Before going far
we saw him fall again, with what result
we never knew, as our hands were too
full in keeping back the enemy in our
| front They advanced their cOlOrS sew