The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1901-09-20


patch Station to Williamsburg.
About 4 o'clock p. in. we arrived d,
Beaverdnm creek and just beyond i,
in large woodland we halted and
went into camp. The wagon tram
came up with feed for our horses and
soon our tired and hungry stock were
fed and We sat down to rest ourselves.
The companies were ordered - group
themselves 80 ss to be in readiness to
fall in their places in time with as
lit,le noise and difficulty as possible
Here we lay till about IL O'Clock
that night by which time the moon
had gone down. When we first halted
detachment of about twenty men
was sent on to Hickory Neck Acad.
rmy about four miles further on to
picket the road aud guard against a
surpri-e of our camp in case the Fed
erals should attempt it.
When we took up the line of march
that nigh, Lieutenant Wideman with
n detail of men ~as sent ahead of the
Column and just a little behind the
vanguard to support it in case of
surprise. We went on till we got to
Hickory Neck and were j"ined BY
our other men who had been standing
guard there. They reported that a
riding party of Federals had come
up that afternoon as far as Chicks
homi"y church and had gone back.
The riders were ab out 800 strong
A consultation with the officers and
guards resulted IN a conclusion to
take the right hand road at Burn,
Ordinary. (now Toauo) and 20 BY the
way of Cnickahominy church ana
Bu'h's mill and come into the tele.
graph road At Casey's farm, one mill
this side of Williamsburg. The stars
were shining dimly aud the timber
Oh each side of the road made our
travel intensely dark. However, the
roads were in god condition. The col.
UNI" moved silently on by twos Every
how and then courier would dash
out andsay: 1.-The Colonel says you
must not ride so fast, the columns
can't keep up" So we would check
up for awhile but before long we
w'u'd get the same message again.
Orders were to keep quiet-no talk
ing or laughing allowed. Frequently
the dogs would tear out and raise
their neighbor CANNES and a general
barking could be heard on all sides.
AFTER passing Bu'h's mill it was
sthought advisable to send two men a
little in advance to prevent our riding
into an ambuscade. AS we were
alone our approach was known to the
enemy. At last we came to Centre
vilIe.. Here the roads forked and
we halted till the column came up
and we found out which one we were
to travel. The men had been drink
ing cider all day. Some of it was
sharp and some sweet and it was be-
ginning to have effect and the crowd
began to get sleepy. An ambuscsde
was momentarily expected-no one
knew what might suddenly happen
as we were far in the enemy's lines
and in strange country and not .
man on the vanguard knew a single
foot # the road except our guides.
Our arms consisted of sabcrs, old
fashioned holsrmen pistols and double
barrel shot guns loaded with fifteen
buckshot to each barrel.
just as the first streaks of day
light began to shoot up from the
eastern horizon we came to place
where we thought pickets had been
standing and two or three of us dis
mounted and mnde an examination
of the ground and found the signs
were frrsh-watermelnn rinds, roast
ing ears, some empty oyster cans, etc.,
were lying around pr"miscuously.
We knew We were on hot trail and
in few minutes the ball would open.
Every man knew his business and
what to do in case of an attack, and
all seemed ready for it. All at once
we came to sudden bend in the road
around fence corner that protected
the Federal pickets from sight Some
one says: Here they are boys
With that Lieut.. Dickens gave the
command: Forward and form fours.
"Charge." The road was sufficiently
made for four men to ride abre ast and
in an inetnnt we were after them al
hard rs our horses could carry US
: The Federals were already mounted
f. they we're expecting us. At the frs