The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-11-28

surpasscs the Nincty-Third Regi-
mcnt's famous stand on the morning
of Balaklava-how Gen. Robert D..
Johnston repealed repeated charges of
Yankee cavalry far outnumbcring his
attcnuated brigade as told by Cen.
Bradley Johnston:
at the battle Of Balaklava occurred
an incident which Kinglike had paint
cd in words, and thus immortalizcd.
The Highland Brigade, the Forty.
Second. the Black Watch, the Cold
Stream Guards, the Grcnadicrs, and
the Nincty-Third (Sir Colin Camp
bells old rcgimcnU were in position
which threw the Nincty-Third Just
a!ong the crest OF slight rise of the
ground
The Russian Artillery had been an.
noying, and the Nincty-Third lay
down just behind the crest, where
they wcro better sheltered and con
ccalcd. A division Of Russian horse
was moving to the left Of Sir Collins $
line, and it's head OF column nearly
with the British, when at once four
squadrons Of Russians -four hundred
mem swung quickly out of column
and struck gallop toward the Eng
llsh position. Instantly the High
landcrs rose from the ground, and
with their tall forms and towering
black plumes looked like line of
giants. The Ninety Third was not in
touch with either Of the other battal-
ions OF the brigade, so they stood and
took it, and when the Russians got
within three hundred yards of them
opened fire upon them and drove them
back. They never repeated the
charge. This scene had been cclc-
bratcd in song and story as "Sir Colin
Campbcll's Thin Red Line" It was
witnessed by the allied armies Eng.
lish, French, and Turkish and sim
ply astoundcd the Russians, for both
sides saw it.
But | myself, with thousands of
others, saw Johnston's North Carolina
Brigade (First North Carolina Battal-
ion Sharp Shooters, Fifth, Twelfth,
Twentieth, and TwentyThird Rcgi-
mcnts) do thing on September 10,
1861, which far cxcellcd in gallantry,
in firmncss, and in heroism this feat
OF the chin Red Line" I have
never seen description of it in print,
and ! do not think it was referred to
IN the reports. 1 am sure Bob john
ston did not. for he was as modest as
he was handsome and brave.
In September, 1864. Early's army
was lying about Winchester. We had
been through Maryland, and terrified
Washington into fits, and had gotten
safely back into Virginia, with thou
sands Of horses, cattle, medical stores,
and hundreds Of wagonloads Of cdibles
of every kind. I had a cavalry br;-
gade of wild, Southwestern Virginian
horsemen, as brave and as undiscip-
lined as the Virginia Rangers Col.
Washington surrendered at Fort Ne
cessity, or Andrews fought Cornstalk
with at Point Pleasant. was bivou-
acked; we had no tents. About three
miles north of Winchester, on the
valley pike, and pickoted from the
valley pike to the Berryville pike,
running east from Winchester, Gen.
Robert D. Johnston, of North Caro-
lima, had brigade Of from eight to ten
hundred muskets on the Berryville
pike, on the top Of the ridge running
across the road. My pickcts were
mile in advance of his in Asho .Iol-
low. Sheridan, with forty-fvc thou
sand infantry and ten thousand cav
airy, lay eight to fifteen miles beyond
our picket lines, from Berryville and
Ripon to Charleston and Halltown, in
Clark and jefferson Counties, Va.
Now, every morning the Yankee cav
airy would rush my pickcts in on
Johnston's posts. He would stop
them until got up, and then I'd drive
the Yankees back and establish my
original picket posts. This done,
would send my command back to
camp.
I had about eight hundred mounted
men, and I'd ride up to Bob John
ston's headquarters, which was a
wagon under tree, one camp stool,
and frying pan sizzling with bacon,
and a pot Of rye coffee and sorghum.
I'd get my breakfast. But after g
week Of this proceeding it either be.
came monotonous ,r my appetite
showed no signs Of weakening.