Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-12-19

, told me IL those people were not Yankees
TO go and find out. l told him that they
must be our men. ! had nothing to guide
me in my conclusion that they were our
own troops except that 1 did not see
where we got past our front line. left
the regiment and walked toward the line
In our front and never realized that
might be mistaken until I got about 90
Yards from them. So far had not seen
any signs Of anybody, and / began to con
clude that they we're Yankees sure enough
and had fled.
I went on, however. and when l got
about twenty or thirty yards from where
1 had seen some Of them get behind the
trees, a man poked his head from be-
hind a tree ana asked: Who are your
Said I: who are you"
He replied: 'I belong to the Second
South Carolina heavy artillery"
Said I: 81 belong to the Second South
Carolina infantry"
But the man did not get out from be-
Ind the tree. Evidently he was in DOUBT.
1 turned then and saw the regiment ad-
vancing, Colonel Wallace in front.
When Colonel Wallace reached me he
asked me who they were. I repeated what
the man behind the tree said. stood
there talking to the colonel until the regl-
ment reached US, when the men behind
the tree rushed out and waving his sword
called out: Come out from behind these
trees; here's men who will tight!'
Just at this instant the enemy opened
up with a terrible volley, when the whole
Of the front line hereabouLs broke and fed
through the timber on our lert and to the
rear. My regiment fell back slowly and
in order. and regained our old position
with our brigade.
The enemy followed us up and at once
preceded to fortify in the timber in our
he pOiT,rr
Telling the trees.
They brought up a battery and post
ed it about two hundred yards in front
of a brigade of militia posted on cur left.
The militia did not return the fire of this
battery.
When we got back to our position In
the second line, We stuck our hagstan IN
the breastworks, and Colonel Wallace. the
adjutant Of the regiment and. myself
seated ourselves on the ground behind
the breastworks and near the flag. The
enemy's battery had a complete entilade
fire of my regiment. Pretty soon shell
from the battery just missed my back.
passed between the arm of Colonel Wal
lace and his body. grazed the back Of
the adjutant, ricocheted along down the
line and hit two men in my company.
Colonel Wallace coolly arose and called
his orderly and told him to go and tell
the officer I'm command of the militia to
silence lnaI baILery. lie went, ana dIteT
a little we hear the command on the
watch line: Ready. aim, fire.
/ do not know the damage to the bat
terry, but 1t ceased operations. The men
who fed from the front line were rallied
at the second line. In the afternoon the
enemy attacked our whole line, but were
repulsed. I escaped injury, although l
had many narrow escapes.
The militia and other troops who had
never been engaged before, acted nobly in
this battle anO we checked Shermans ad-
vance by this route.
I had much cause to be thankful to
the glver OF all good. my Creator. in this
battle, especially In the narrow escape We
had In having a conflict with our first line
in the morning. as have told 1t.
This was the battle OF Averysboro, N.
c., fought between Hardee's corps of mil
fila. coast troops. and our brigade OF old
soldiers and Sherman's veterans.
w. A. JOHNSON,
Co. d, Second s. c. v.
q Ia ~ - - -A-[ Il A.
Bears the HThs Kind You Have Always Bought
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