The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-09-11

stages of grcenback dropsy.
About dark We ran up on Hooker S
strongly intrcnched lines al Chancel-
lorsville; we bivouacked on McGee's 8
hill to the left of the turnpike, near
Charlottesville, close to road lead
ing down to the left to an iron furnace.
just before dark Generals Lee, Stone
wall Jackson, Semmcs, Kershaw and
McLaws all met in rear Of battery
posted there. think they all l,slept
near where Semmcs' brigade was lying,
for just about sunrise Saturday, May
I'd, Stonewall jackson and his staff
rode past us again going in the direc-
tion of the furnace. The air was
rcdolcnt with the perfume of the
flowers Of spring time; the birds wcrc
joyously singing; the sunlight was
Frightening the eastern hilltops
that lovely May morning as the great
warrior rode away from us to be seen
by us on this earth no more for ever
and ever. The Yankees were shelliug
the battery near US, and dcsultory
musket firing could be heard on our
right and left: the sharpshooters,
which had the honor to command,
we're deployed about 200 yards in front
G. our main line, our right resting on
the turnpike. l was ordered to report
to General Semmes in person. I
found him near the battery. He gave
me particular instructions, telling me
to make the Yankees believe we were
going to charge and drive in their
pickets every time they came out, but
not to expose my men more than was
necessary. While he was instructing
me the Yankees got in some bloody
and destructive work with their artii-
lery, killing and wounding several men
and horses, exploding two caissons in
ten steps Of US. My recollection is
that the battery was SO badly crippled
that Manly's battery relieved them so
they might go to rear for repairs. Gen.
cral Scmmes told me to hurry back to
my sharpshooters, advance and pick
off the Yankee gunncrs who were doing
such frightful executions. He went
with me, or rather, I went with him,
for my plan was to go through the
thick underground, but to my dismay,
and at great peril to both of US, he
walked in the middle of the big road
in full view of the Yankees at the
Chancellor house, for at least 200
yards, it seemed about mile. Grape
shot were tearing up the dust and
whizzing past us by the basketful. 1
don't quite understand to this day
how we escaped. When We reached
the line of the sharpshooters, we left
the road, turned to the left and were
completely hid from view by the dense
underground. He ordered us to ad-
vance cautiously till we saw the Yam
lee pickets, then charge with ysil
and drive them in, and to give them
no rest day or night until further or
ders, and to see that we did just right,
he went with us. Just as we started
several wild turkeys aew over us.
During that day and night and next
morning I think we drove in their
pickets ten or twelve times. About
l2 O'Clock Saturday, after one Of our
sham charges, Captain Hiram Wood,
of Thomson, Ca, and I were together;
the bullets were laeerating the bushes
and vines around us, and it seemed to
me that they were coming closer
and closer. told Wood the shllc
shooters were after US and picked up
our oil cloth on which we had been
sitting, and moved about ten steps to
the left. He laughed at me. but as
he was rising to follow me he was Sc
riously wounded, bullet piercing his
neck. Just as the litter bearers start
ed to bear him to the rear, we, charged
to the front, and this time it looked
like general fgh. had begun. Wof-
ford's brigade of sharpshooters, with
their usual reckless daring. decided
that they would run right over Hook
er's main line. They got into such a
hot place that General Wofford re-
inforced them and got up fight that
looked like it was going to be general
and draw US all into it, but not being
in accord with General Lees plans
and Instructions to General McLaws,
the latter ordered General Wofford to
withdraw. About & o'clock that even
ing we heard long rolls of musketry
away to our left; it was indistinct at
first, but grew louder and came nearer
as the day declined and as the sun
want down Tho rooriur oonororap;od