The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-01-30
THE BATTLE OF
FREDERICKSBURG.
Graphic Story by an Artille.
rlst Of Garden's Battery.

December 13, 1867 Many sur
viving veterans viii doubtless
remember this date, So years ago.
aud many others no doubt still live
and mourn the absence of loved
one aince that fatefcl day, On which
was fought the battle and occurred
the victory of Fredericksburg, Va.
The Northern general. Burnside. had
just been appointed to succeed that
accomplished soldier. Mcclellan, as
commander of the Army of the Po-
tomac and doubtless entertained an
overweeuing opinion of his abilities
and an over leaping ambition tc dis
play aud prove them Well, he did
so effectually on the 1lth l3tn De.
cember, '62.
The writer was attached to Gardens s
(Pslmetto) Battery, formed largely
of Sumter County and Chesterfield
gounty men, with Capt Hugh R
Garden. now of New York Lieuts
Sam Pringle. of Sumter, killed at
Sharpsburg VIM II Colt, of Che
raw. killed near Suffolk, Va /; Alex
Mcqueen, Sumter, killed at Dingle's
Mil, near Scmter, in Pottes's raid in
1865 Jas Reid Muldrow, Sumter
The battery. 81 this date. was
attached to- Hoods Texas brigade,
.Longstreet's corps, A n v, and
received orders on the llth to move
quickly to the front from Chesterfield
Station, where they had prepared to
GO ;nto winter quarters.
A recent snow had left broad
patches still covering the earth aud
the roads were miry and heavy as
we headed for the Rsppahannock
toward Fredericksburg The boom
ing of guns became more aud more
distinct apd, while yet miles distant
from the theatre OF action, we were
greeted with one Of those sadly
pathetic spectacles so often the
accompaniment of 'iorrid war" A
thinefie Of struggling humanity was
met toiliug to the rear to anywhere
out of reach of their merciless foes.
The strsgglers growing more dense
as we proceeded and comprised of
every class and age and sex, from
venerable age to toddling childhood,
were the unfortunate population of
the beleaguered town of Fredericks
burg. driven from their homes and
6resides by the death dealing shells
belched from the Stafford heights
across the river, from which secure
vantage ground the enemy had post
ed heavy siege guns and were pour
ing aD iron hail into the doomed
town.
Nine separate attempts to lay their
pontoon across the river had been
tbwarted By the determined stand
and fierce fighting of Barksdale's
gallant and defiant Mississippians,
and the indiscriminate sbeiling of the
town wss an exhibition of discredita.
bic vindictiveness but it was
nevertheless held throughout aud
nn,il Geo Lee was enabled to make
his dispositions and fully ready TO
warmly receive "our friends, the
enemy" But this is history, and
our battery is still plodding along
the snow rotted highway now so
crowded with the heavy footed, sad
hearted refugees that it scarcely
Yielded space for them and our lum
bering train of guns and caissons.
Feeble women, delicate msidens,
decrepit men. helpless children the
lame, the halt and the blind mingled
indiscriminately this homeless, she'll
terless mass of human misery, thrust
suddenly from comfort aud luxury
out upon the bleak earth, formed a
most pitisble picture of one of wars
sad Issues Our battery crossed over
the heights that stretch along the
broad plateau bordering the river aod
which formed the battle ground, and
parked in q grove at the foot of the
hills and cooked and ate the last
crumb of our mesgre ration and then
prepared for soldiers happiest
hours in blessed sleep and dreams of
home, heavenly home and loved ones
apd-more rations
iHow many OF the present general
ton have an idea of how q soldier
manages to bivousc and sleep in
confor. when the earth is encEusted
inches deep in snow ? But be does,
and warmer even than at other
times
Combines of men and masses
quickly collect all avoilable fuel
within reach. We are not at all
particular or scrupulous Your worm
fence stone fences are anathema
tized save in battle -or your pa'ings
or even your ancestral and baronisl
~.<o voeto Svaro oil ono fo no ;f thov'd