The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-10-23
WAR STORIES.
Battle Of Salem Church.
atlanta JOurnul.

fast as we could 90.
We came upon Wilcox brigade in
line Of battle at Salem Church, and
our brigade formed on the right Of
Wilcox, and east Of the church. We
got posted partly in a swamp and part
ly in an old field and along the cross.
road before mentioned. On the OPP
positc side Of the road from us was a
road
When Scdgwick succcsdcd n getting
possession Of Mayrcs heights the
road TO charlottesville was open to
him, with the exception OF such oppo-
sition as Wilcox and the remnant Of
Bark sda.c $ b.igadcs could offer him.
lie promptly took advantage of his
opportunity aud moved towards
Chancclors, He. Wilcox, with his
"pcoplc, rs he called them. made
stands At d;'fcrcnt places, and held
them until thanked out, he did this so
as to give Ice time to help him. as he
was being driven upon the rear of Lees
right wing.
The Yankees had been nanking and
forcing him back all day long and
when he made his stand at Salem
Church, he y?as attacked by Scdgwck
with the same tactics and the So me
confidence a before, but McLaws had
gotten his brigade into position in the
nick Of time. In this attack Sedg-
wick made his heaviest and most de-
ternlncd move in front Of Semmcs
aud Wollord on the left Of the line: as
By this he hoped to "onncct with
Hooker, near the river.
The Yankees we're astonished at
finding troops on the right and left of
Wilcox they had not expected to
have any fighting to oat these points.
They We're also surprised in front Of
Wilcox. for they did not expect him
to flank they thought he would be
gonc as before The Fcdcrals came
pouring through the woods right up to
our lines, and when they were fired
into were close up. so that when our
lnc fired on them they fell thick and
fast Numbers Of them fell right in
the road, aud only a few feet from the
lines. Their loss was heavy in killed
wounded and prisoners.
saw lots Of prisoners who could not
speak word Of English, and who had
been in the United States only thirty
days ::
They had joined the Yankee army
Tor the bounty. which at this time was
about $3.50. We called these fellows
prisoncrs(O OF war-that is, sol6iors(D
captured in war I have said to my
self many times since this: "Oh. SOL
dier! how many sins have been COM
mittcd n your name?'
The resistance which they met in
.his attack was 80 unexpected
and so sudden that they never raj
lied, and it put Sedgwick on the de-
fcnsivc.
We made no general advance after
this repulse, but simply maintained
cur position. This was necessary, as,
before we could advance, it was ne
ce-sary to establish connection with
Early on our right
While we were waiting for this to
be done, we were shclled by the Fed
cral artillery and as they could not see
our line because Of the wood in our
front, the accuracy Of their fire was a
study-thcy burst shell and shrapnel
right over and ut us
If remember correctly, the woods
caught tire in front Of Wilcox 5 bri-
gade and some of the Yankee wound
cd were burned. Finally, we got in
touch with Early on our right, and
kcrshaw' $ brigade, with the CO opera
tiou of troops right alfE left, charged
the Ianks.
They ehcllcd US heavily as we ad-
vanccd through the timber, and while
we paid no attention to the bursting
shells, We did u the falling limbs aud
tops Of trees. and these were about as
bad as the shells
But the brigade pushed ahead in
spite as shells and falling timber, and
the opposition of the infantry, and
We forced shem ont into the
opcu country which las along the NV
er
When We had done this and had
also gotten out Of The timber, the
Yanks lit dut-infantry, artillery and
all!
1t was in the afternoon. We pur-
sued them towards Frederick shurg