The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-01-30
BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG
Graphic Story by Artillerist Of Gardens
Battery.
Charleston Snnolay NcWs.

ShAo uoCS5 Will CISuC JCGio uSOj "iN
many others no doubt still live ant
mourn the absence Of loved one since
that fateful day, on which was fought
the battle and occurred the victory OF
Fredericksburg, Va The Northern
General, Burnside, had just been ap
pointed to succeed that accomplished
soldier, Mcclellan, as commander OF
the Army of the Potomac and doubt
less entertained an oycrwccning opin-
ion of his abilities and an ovcr-lcap
ing ambition to display and prove
them. Well, lie did SO cfrcctually on
the 11th-13th December, go.
The writer was attached to Garden {
(Palmctto) Battery, formed largely OF
Sumter County and Chesterfield Coun
ty men, with Capt. Hngh r. Garden,
now. Of New York; Lieuts. Sam Prin-
gle, of Sumter, killed at Sharpsburg;
VIM. II. Colt, of Chcraw; George
Colt, of Cheraw, killed near Suffolk,
Va; Alex. Mcqueen. Sumter, killed
at Diugle's Mill, near Sumter, in Pot
tcr's raid in 1865; Jas. Reid Mul-
d ow, Sumter. The battery, at this
date, was attached to Hoods Texas
brigade, Longstrccts 8 corps, A. n. w.,
and received orders on the 1lth from
Chesterfield Station, where they had
prepared to go into winter quarters.
A recent snow had left broad patches
still covering the earth and the roads
were mry and heavy as we headed for
the Rappahannock toward Ficdcricks-
burg The booming of guns became
more and more distinct and, while yet
miles distant from the theatre Of ac
tion, We we're greeted with one of
those sadly pathetic spcctaclcs so
often the accompaniment of "horrid
war. a thin file Of struggling hu
manity was met toiling t. the rear; to
anywhere out Of reach Of their mcrci-
less foes. Tho stragglers growing
more dense as we proceeded and com
priscd Of every class and age and sex,
from venerable age to toddling child
hood, were the unfortunate population
Of the beleauguered town Of Fredcr-
icksburg, driven from their homes and
fresidcs by the death-dealing shells
belched from the Stafford heights
across the river, from which secure
vantage ground the enemy had posted
heavy siege guns and were pouring an
iron hail into the doomed town.
Nine separate attempts to lay their
pontoons across the river had been
thwarted by the determined stand and
fierce fighting of Barksdale's gallant
and defiant Mississirpians, and the
indiscriminate shelling Of the town
was an exhibition Of discreditablc vim
dictivenoss; but it was nevertheless
held throughout and until Gen. Lee
was enabled to make his dispositions
and fully ready . warmly receive
''our friends, the enemy" But this
is history, and our battery is still
ploddling along the snow rottcd high
way now 80 crowded with tho heavy
footed, sad hearted refugees that it
scarcely yielded space for them and
our numbering train Of guns and cais-
sons.
Feeble women, delicate maideas,
dccrcpit men, helpless children; the
Game, the halt and blind mingled in
Discriminatory; this homeless, shelter
less mass of human misery, thrust
suddenly from comfort and luxury out
upon the bleak earth, formed a most
pitiablc picture Of one Of wars sad
issues. Our battery crossed over tho
heights that stretch along the broad
plateau bordering the river and which
formed the battle ground, and parked
in grove at the foot of the hills and
cooked and ate tho last crumb Of our
meagre rations and then prepared for
q soldiers happiest hours, in blessed
sleep and dreams of home, heavenly
home and loved ones and-more
rations.
(How many of the present genera
tion have an idea Of how soldier
manages to bivouac ard sleep in COM
fcrt when the earth is encrustcd inches
deep in snow? But he does, and
warmer even than at other times.)
Combines Of men and messes quick
ly collect all available fuel within
reach. We arc not at all particular or
scrupulous. Your worm fcnce-(stone
fences are mathematical save in bat
tle) or your palings or even your
ancestral and baronial gate posts were
all one to us if they'd burn. The
Government didn't furnish fuel and