The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1899-08-10

withdrawal OF the troops.
The first paragraph directed the
chiefs OF the quartcrmaster, ordinance
and subsistence departments to begin
the moving OF their trains next m0ru.
ing at daylight. When the paragraph
was finished suggested that tho order
be changed to take effect at once that
night, aud the change vas accordingly
made. The last paragraph Of the order
up the rear, destroy what public stores
that mighi be left and burn the COW
cred bridge over the Pee Dee.
| My reason for suggesting the change
Ia General Hardee's order was based
on the fact that great quantities OF
stores, public and private, had been
sent up from tho lOw-country to Che
raw for safety, and ] felt quite sure it
would require moro time for their re-
mOval In view of the rapid advance Of
the enemy, erd the event proved the
correctness Of this opinion.
BY daylight next morning the in
fantry, artillery and wagon trains had
been pretty well cleared out Of the
town, leaving only my division. | had
| scarcely time to get In one OF my bri-
gadcs from up the Chesterfield road
before the enemy reached the out
| skirts OF Cheraw on the Camden road.
| halted d Georgia battalion OF infantry
at the fork Of the two roads to hold
the enemy IN check until Young's
| could get In or the Chesterfield road
AS it was, 46 men were cut Off, but they
managed to make their way across The
river higher up and escaped. AS soon
as the brigade got in relieved the in
lantry battalion, which, In the mean
time, had had rather fierce skirmish
with the advance OF the enemy at the
fork Of tho roads.
| then dcploycd everything | had
across the different streets and retired
| to the bridge IN the face OF sharp fire,
returned shot for shot, excep' that We
had no artillery, while the enemy
brought q battery and fired GoHu the
main street. The horse OF one Of my
couriers, Edward Wells, Of the Cnar-
lesion Light Dragons, WAS killed un-
der him before reaching the bridge.
So close was the call at the bridge
that as my rear guard passed out at
the east end the enemy Was entering
tho west end. The rear guard consisted
Of a squadron from YOung's brigade,
commanded by Capt. Baugh. Happen
Ing to be with the rear guard | directed
Capt. B.ugh 10 dismOunt his men,
send his horses behind the abutment
OF the bridge, drive the enemy out and
set fire to the bridge. AS horse flesh
was very valuable at that time, | sent
my own out OF danger, and together
we drove the enemy out and set fire TO
thc piles Of rosln deposited at intervals
along the tloOr Of the bridge by Cen
er8l Ii irdcc's engineer Cllicers We
soon had it in llames and gave General
lldrdGe time to start his heavy trains.
Col. Alfred RheLt WAS ordered that
evening 10 report to me for duLy with
lis brigade as a part OF the rear guard.
Jhe brigade consisted OF the First
South Carolina regular infantry COM
ioanded by Coz. Wm. Butler, the First
South Carolina regular artillery com
| mandcd by Lieut.. Col Joe Yates and
thc South Carolina heavy artillery
whose commander do not now recall.
This brigade WAS drploycd along the
"st hank OF the river and kept up Il
| iivcly sharp shooting with the enemy
| until or 10 O'Clock During the firing
Lieut.. Col. Warren Adams, F.rst South
| Carolina infantry, WAS wounded near
me hy Is shot in the chest which sup
,'Osyd would be fatal, but, the force of
| Tie bullet had been broken in some
way and only inflicted u slight wound.
| Col. RhCtt was COON afterwards taken
prisoner at Avcrysboro and the com
! mAnd Of the brigade devOlved upon
!
nave not attempted ~ much us q re-
ference TO the almost daily conflicts we
bad with some portion Of Sherman's
rrmy. with only Il handful Of m1n VIC
could only get an occasiOna! blow at
dCtaChm nts fOraging and piupaGring
the helpless inhabitants.
Soon after the evacuation Of Chcraw
General Joseph e. Johnston assumed
command Of the army. General Har,
dee, however, commanded In person at
The battle Of Avcrysboro in which my
division did not participate.
General f Nj. Law was assigned to
the temporary command OF Buffers
brigade. and before the battle OF Ben
tonvillc, he was relieved by Brigadier
General II. NJ. Logan, who had recently
been promoted TO the vacancy occa-
stoned by the death OF Brigadior Gan
cral John Dunovant. This gallant and
distinguished officer led the brigade at
the fight 1T McDoweiPs farm below
Petersburg, and was killed on the
fighting line the lst day OF October,
1861. | rcjoinod General Hampton
who hal been with Whecler's division
near the Old fair grounds in North
Carolina, after q separation OF two
weeks or more, operating on my owr
hook. Just before We reached tho
| VIC uau u wiz NlIll h llpdb
rick's cavalry, the first time we haC
met, and rccaptured some Catawbs
wine ne had sent out to seize from &
citizen and took q number OF prison
ers. Wo had also had quite q heavy
engagement with q portion Of the l7tf
corps at the crossing Of Black river
where wo killed and captured mum
bcr OF prisoners loaded down With
plundcr.
wish time permitted and your pa
ticnco could further endure IL dcscrip
ton of the attack on KiIpatrick's CAM
at daylight, his flight in his night.
clothes, Wheeler's Inability to carry
out his part OF tho programme because
Of an unforeseen obs ,acic, In q boggy
swamD and the severe !Ossc- we suffered
by reason OF the same. Among othcrt
killed on that evenIful morning was
Lieut. Col Kiug, OF the Cobb legion
while galantly reading dismnuni cd
charge; also my icnd ana college
claasmate, Sergt. San Cothr"n Of The
Sixth South CafOlin,. cavalry, who wa&
shot dom and instn.tlY ki'}.d ncal