The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-08-07
Had Fought its Last Fight.

The surrender of General Joseph f..
Johnston's army found Walters Bat
terry, Washington Light Artillery, }
South Carolina Volunteers, en- amped
near Bush Hill, a small hamlet in
Randolph County, North Carolina.
Two days thereafter orders were re-
ceived by Capt. Walter to carry his
guns, horses and equipment to Greens.
boro, distant about fifteen miles, and
turn them over to the United States
authorities. For good and sufficient
reasons. known at the time, but for
gotten now, none Of the commissioned
officers cared to perform this sad and
unpleasant duty, SO the execution Of
the orders was delegated to one Of the
sergean's; the drivers only being di-
rected 20 accompany him. The horses
were harncsscd to their respective
guns and caissons, the command, "By
piece from the right front into COL
umnl" given and the last march Of
the Washington Light Artillery be-
gan.
AS the column moved off the other
members of the company, animated by
the desire for a parting look at the
guns they had manned so.gallantly and
followed s long, assembled of their
own accord, without military forma-
ton, and silently gazed on them as
they were driven past. There was no
demonstration whatever, but all felt
that this was indeed surrender, and
the scene before them brought a reali-
zation Of that fact with mournful en-
phasis.
Just at sundown, about midway be-
tween the camp and Greensboro, the
battery came to halt on the top of q
high hill, and while standing there it
was proposed to fire one of the guns.
TO this suggestion was feelingly add
ed, Boys, we no longer have flag to
salute, let as salute the setting SUM-"
These words mot an eager response
tho first" gun was loaded with q
blank cartridge and fired. The noise
OF the discharge aroused several of the
residents Of that neighborhood and
thequestion was anxiously asked if the
war had begun again.
NO" was the reply, but as our
company has fred one of the frst guns
IN this war, (alluding to the firing on
the Star Of the West from Fort Moul-
tric, January 8, 1861 we thought we
would give the last in Johnston S
army In all probability this was
the last piece of artillery fred by the
troops under Johnston, and certainly
the last time that any Of the guns of
Walters battery were ever heard.
The battery reached Greensboro af-
ter dark that same day, and the guns
were parked in a small yard, surround
ing dwelling house, the men sleep
ing under and around them.
The next morning the horses were
harnessed and ridden off, the guns be-
ing left where they were placed the
night before, to place. near che rail
road, the harness thrown in heap
on the ground and the horses taken to
an enclosure on the outskirts Of the
town.
The streets of Greensboro were
crowded With Confederate soldiers. but
no Federals were seen, except one Off
Ger, who was walking ahcu. and seem
ed to be paying little attention to
what was going ON around him. The
officer to whom the horses and harness
were delivered was Confederate, and,
judging from his uniform, was either
quartermaster or belonged to the
staff of some Confederate general.
JOHN A. KIRKPATRICK.
Montgomery, Ala.