The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-01-09

. me that | was only marking time on the
snow, until looked down the corn
row and saw was making it over four
or five corn rows at each jump. This
relieved nc greatly, for knew the
corn rows were four or five feet apart
in Tennessee, and that there was no
marking time in that gait | was trav-
cling.
The speed I made soon carried me
out Of the reach Of tEc shot and shells
OF the yankees, and | found our CORPS
commander, Stephen ID. Lee, on the
pike with twenty or thirty stands or
colors and two or three hundred men
around him. He was making dcs-
pcratc effort TO rally our men. I re.
ported to him with one man. L told
him we were ready to die if necessary.
At this point, many Of our men that
were not captured came to us, and by
morning all Of Stoval's brigade that
were not killed or captured were in
line. Our division (Clayton's) were
selected to carry up the rear Of our
rctrcating army, and now come to
my close call. We were rctrcating by
way of Franklin, where we had pre-
viously fought SO desperately. Near
the town of Franklin is good size
stream. This stream had substan-
tial bridge where the pike road crossed
It, Our army was trying to form a
line of battle on the same ground
where we had lost so many men few
weeks before. The stream is on the
side OF the town next or towards Nash
vile. Our army being on the oppo-
site side Of the stream, when the rear
guard, to which 1 belonged, reached
the bridge, i was instructed with two
other officers, to take $50 men and
hold that bridge at all hazards. The
staff officer who gave me these instruc-
tions told me was expected to hold
the bridge if every man lost his life
in the attempt, that the safety of the
entire army depended on holding the
bridge until line Of battle could be
formed. l supposed it was the only
place that troops could cross the
stream. We quickly ok position
and before could tell the men that
were expected to die there or hold the
bridge, Hght or ten thousand mounted
infantry and cavalry came down at
full speed along the pike and through
the field. The boys killed them by
the score, many riderlcss horses came
dashing across the bridge but we held
on like grim death, and in few mo-
ments one Of my men shouted to me,
Great God, look in our rcar!' We
did not know the stream could be
forded. Thousands of yankee cavalry
had dashed acrsss the stream at ford
below the town. Franklin was full of
yankees in our rear, with many thou
sands in our front. We were sur
rounded on all sides. Amid the dead
ly rear Of small arms shouted ms best
| could to our men to save themselves
if they could, or surrender if they de-
sired to do so. was going out or try.
| ran through houses il. closed lots
and gardens TO keep tho yankee caval-
ry which was in every street and
alley, from killing or capturing mo.
ran through kitchen where sat
very old lady, all the other inmates
having fled. Dinner was on the table.
She says: Honey, stop and eat some
dinner. God bless her saintcd soul,
| never refused an invitation to dine
where my stomach was in better con-
dition to receive it, but it was one of
those times where pressing business
overcamc the pangs Of hunger. I ran
on jerking off pickcts and lodging
through enclosures with hundreds of
yankee bullets flying pat my head.
Finally ] came to an alley; there was
no way except to cross it. pulled
off a plank. AS got into the alley
lone horseman dashed up to me. He
had on gum coat. could not tell
whether he was Yank or Confed. l
was out Of breath, tired until I could
go no further. He glanced at me,
saw | was an officer, he said, Put
your foot on mine and spring up be-
hind me, but my springs had worn
out. Just then bullets came in tor
rents. He said, drop all you have
and pull up" | obeycd and threw
down all l had but my sword and pis
tol and company papers. Imade l up
my mind. Quick as lightning 1 was
behind him on his horse. If he starts
back with me. I would shoot him ont