The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-10-16

Next morning about . clock | was
astonishcd to hear from scout, who
had come out in search of me, that
two men Of the ten before mentioned
had run back to camp at the time OF
the firing the night before and report
ed that We were all taken prisoners
and that the brigade had heen under
arms all night; in fact, large portion
OF the troops Of the right wing of the
army had partly changed front in CON
sequence Of it.
| wrote General Anderson note,
setting the matter right, and about
midday, being relieved by company
from General A. +. Hills division,
marched back to the line of battle and
rcjoincd the regiment. In the mean
time Jackson s corps had come up on
the line and formed our right wing,
and General Hood had drawn in his
brlgadcs and posted them along the
foot and crests Of the hills overlooking
that part of the wide plain of Frcder-
icksburg where Deep Run widcns the
valley and takes its perpendicular
course to the river. Strange to say,
found our regiment resting when |
joined .hem at 3 o'clock in the after
noon at Stacked arms within fifty
yards Of the identical house which I
had left in such haste the morning be-
fore. AS there was no other move
| slept in the identical room where my
court was to have been held, aud on
the identical straw 1 had brought
from camp. | had for supper fried
chicken, which l had bought from
negro close by, but being unable to
bring it away, had left it there, and
which still remained safe.
Next morning the fight opened in
good earnest. About Q clock our
brigade went down at IL double quick
under cover of fog, and took position
at the most advanced point of our
llnc, amilc out in the plain, and
about half way between Frodericks-
burg and the point on our right,
where the enemy attacked Hill.
You can better understand the po-
sition by referring to tho map en-
closed. It is from one and half to
three miles across the plain from the
foot of the hills to the river; five
miles along to tho railroad from the
city to Hamilton's crossing, and the
Stafford Heights are perhaps within a
half mile of the river bank. There
we lay all day and witnessed the fight.
We were pretty severely cannonaded
at times and had to hug the ground
With great thinnoss TO let tho mimic
balls pass over us, and although our
skirmishcrs were almost constantly
engaged, yet the enemy did not attack
us in force. Well for him that he did
not.
We were advantageously posted be-
hind hedge and ditch; the mon were
in splendid condition and eager for the
fight. and it is not often that veterans
are so, but it was our lot to lie iuac.
tive. It was sight soul-stirring and
exciting beyond conception those
crowded hours into which years of life
arc compressed into moment. I saw
that day artillery duels in all their
horrible perfection; I saw exhibitions
of valor and hcrbism such as mako na-
tions famous; I saw few; very few,
dastards fly from the field, but saw
the enemy driven back and defeated
and heard the loud hurrahs Of tho sons
of our own sunny south as they drove
him from the plain. 1 saw the col
umns Of the infantry charge, and this,
when seen in the open field, is
by all odds, the most terrible and sub.
lime exhibition of mans power and
passion the panorama of war can dis
play.
When l said that We were midway
between Fredericksburg and where
Hill fought them, refer to the point
where his batteries were posted, the
key to his position. The fighting ex-
tended along his and Ewell's lines to
within few hundred yards of us.
Colonels Beck and Munger are both
still at home wounded. Major Jones
was sick and went to the hnanital thai