Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1899-03-11
TIE BATpLH OF WILLIAMSBURG
A Participant Relates an Interesting
Story.
midland virginian.)

and my mate, Scion A. Boston |
Scion ,sss in my estimation a
typical Southern soldier. The
Christian soldier and gentleman.
patriotic and brave beyond com
harrison. His was an attractive
figure, tall and commanding in
appearance. more than six feet
in height. hair as black as the
ravens wing hung in TingletS
about his shoulders. He was the
only son of FOntaine and Gym
ihia Boston, of Cumberland |
county. when Virginia asked |
for volunteers he was amongst |
the first 10 respond, and enlist |
ed in tie BLACK Eagle Compa-
nv" Of infantry, which after
words became Company r, 18th
Virginia Regiment, PickettS
Brigade. When the regiment
was organized. Scion was APP
pointed color sergeant or flag
bearer for the regiment 10y Col.
r. f. Withers. its commander.
Nothing Of special interest trans
pired during the first year of
the war-lS6l. In 1862 our
command was transferred from
the scenes Of the fields fought
over at Manassas to the in
trencbments on the Peninsula
near Yorktown. We remained
in the intrenchments till the
last days OF April. An order
came on Saturday night for IL
TO retrat as hastily As possible.
There was great hurrying To and
fro for few minutes. when the
roll was call d and we were
marched hastily 10 Williams
burg. where we arrived about
/ 10 o'clock on Sunday. We spent
the rest Of the afternoon look
ing at quaint obi -cts about thiS
old. antique Burg" / remem
/ Der seeing amongst other antiQ
uities a ma Die statue Of Lord
( Botetourt, Of Colonial dsys We
retired that night as soldiers
frequently did. with only the
broad canopy Of Heaven 10 shell.
ter and protect u. During the
night the rain began 10 fall pit
" eously upon Us. About day.
: break an alarm was given. ",
were called 10 arms, soon ate
this the rattle Of musketry anC
the booming Of cannon inform
ed us that the eneIny had at
[ tackled our wagon train and rea
7 guard Just beyond the cOnfine
Of the town. Troops were pu
IN action TO repel this attack
= which was calamity done. dr1y
2 ing the enemy 10 the Woo
- where they secured lodgeineu
, and awaited reinforcements. Ih
enemy having received rein
u forcements renewed the sttac
d about 10 o'clock, and the BATH
was being fought with niue
= eaTnestness over the entire tiel'
as reinfOrcements would arriv
y attacking parties would ASA
d earh other more vigOrousl
j. until out y o'clock, KempeT
- brigade, cOmpOs d Of the i
, nth, 7th, and 18th Virgin
= Regiment, were Overw heiInt
,r and driven from the works IN
u the open field.
Il Our brigade up TO this tin
20 had not cen engaged, but We
now called or TO reinforce KeI
u per's brigade. Ne went al
~ / double-Quick through the stree
le Of Williamsburg, throwing d
r knapsacks promiscnOusly on Il
porches Of the devoted and p
- triouc citizens. Only few hi
I'D utes had elapsed before o
u brigade h d reached the see
20 OF strife, Carnage and blOOdsh
aud were ready 10 do our duI
We formed a line of bait
he and marched into the wood
To nndergrowth. thickly overgro'
tn with holly and other dwarf
growth. We had gone a she
:, distance in. this undOrgrOw
when we came upon a dyi
a soldier; he was stretched Il
a - - ~ 1000 III. "a