The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-10-23

lor tnclr generous efforts to rebuild
the Soldier $ home, and to express the
hope that your lot aud theirs in time
and eternity will be as fortunate as
that Of the old soldiers who have
received this generous help
Shalem Church is, or was, Hard
she'll Baptist meeting house situated
IN the road between Fredericksburg
and Chancciiors. is we'll as /
can recall it stood about half way be-
tween these two places. A road
crosses The main road AT the church
and on the north side O! it. The
iurch was Situated in the southeast
angle Of the intersection and was a
mall building but big aud old
enough ave Il name, and in The
beautiful month Of May, 1863, it was
lnmcrtalizcd by the Gray Jackets.
ur Confederate soldiers
When Joe Hooker crossed the Rap
pahannock river Lee 8 army was post
ed along til" south side Of the river as
follows: Anderson division above
fredericksburg: McIaw's division at
the town, and Jackson's corps below
the town. The Confederate cavalry
ratrollcd aud rckctcd the various fords
and crossings.
Hooker, at the lead Of the main
army crossed at the fords above
Frederick sburg aud left Scdgcwick
with about 2G 900 men posted ON Tie
Stafford Heights on the north Of the
river and opposite the town If my
McMory serves me correctly, Barks-
lalc's brigade of Mississippians, Of
McLaw 5 division. were on picket duty
~ the town at the time, just as they
were when burnside made his move
Dcccmber II, 1862
Anderson division was the first
Confederate infantry which llo,kcr
encountered after crossing tho river,
which, being very largely outnumbcr-
ed, fell back before tho Federal force.
Mcl.aw ) division, leaving Bark slal's
brigade in the town, hurried, to ioin
anderson.
General McLaws took with him the
brigades Of Scmmcs and Woiford, both
Georgia brigadcs, and Kcrshaw South
Carolinians. 1t started early in the
morning and was followed by Jack
sons corps, except the division Of
HHiaIiy, which was left behind 10 Join
with Barksdalc in defending our posi-
tion at Fredericksburg and its immc-
diate vicinity.
When the three brigades under Me-
Laws got to Anderson's 3 position a
forward movement was made, which
brought Hooker to stop and finally
compelled him or frightened him With
Visions Of jackson to such an extent
that he fell back or retreated to
Chancellorsvillc Inn and prepared
to run, if the opportunity presented
itself.
Charlottesville was simply m inn
or lodging house on the west side of
the road. 1t was frame building
around which there was clearing, |
think, of about thirty or forty acres.
All around this clearing for some dis
tance was dense wood or rather
thickct, very appropriately named the
Wilderness.
AS Hooker fell back to .his place
We Followed him until We got within
about one mile of the inn, when We
halted. My regiment, the Second
South Carolina, was cast of the road,
with lis right, my company, resting
near the. road Near here Il road
branchcd OFT from the main road and
looked like it led to the country south
east Of the Wilderness. This was Tie
road Jackson took when he caught up
with us
Soon after arriving here one OF our
batteries went into action in and
across the main road and opened fire.
They directed their lire on the Ganks
by The road Think il was done to
develop the Yankee position. lfthis
was the intention j, succeeded, fo. the
Ianks promptly returned the fire and
.hat with deadly aim and precision.
In 4 few minutes n timber chest in
cur battery was blown UP and in few
moment moro the position was seen to
be untcnablc aud cur battery with
drew The artillery in the Yankee
army was the gamcst an3 best branch
Of the service. Their infantry could
outrun wild turkeys, but the artillery
pretty generally stood their ground,
and often in the condition of the boy
who stood On the burning deck. They