The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-07-10

force General Joseph T.. Johnston 5
army concentrating at Jackson, Miss. !,
for the purpose Of cutting pemberton
out Of Eicksburg.
Marching in Virginia was tough, +,
but nothing to compare with Missis
sippi.
In Virginia good water could be had
anywhere, always cool breczes, hard
roads. etc. In Mississippi there was
no water. Cistcrns were either poison
ed or filed up, even the old stagnant
cattle ponds were ditchcd off; there
had been two or three armies passed
over the route that we went and made
away with all the water as an impedi-
ment to the enemy behind. We pass
ed through lanes five miles long, hedg-
ed in with Usage orange SO thick rat
could not have passed through, the
sun coming down like fire, and could
not see your file leader for the dust.
In one of these lanes great many men
dropped dead from heat and dust
smother
We finally went into camp on Big
Black river from the 4th of July until
the morning of the 9Th.
Long roll was sounded at o'clock
u. Ill. on the 0tn OF July, 1863. and we
started on our trip to make Grant
turn Pemberton loose. We were in
line of skirmishers (our brigade was)
looking for Yanks at every step. About
3.30 or o'clock orders extended
along the line ''by the left flank dou-
ble-time, march," and that order was
never revoked. When daylight came
we could see our main column, at the
same business running parallel with
us. There was not much slack up un-
til we got in the breastworks at Jack
son, and when we got there. old Te-
cumseh Sherman was in sight and
singing shells at us. l witnessed
charge there that the enemy made on
Breckcnridges division. They were
certainly we'll drilled and had spunk
as we'll Our Virginia Yanks could
be made to go back n their holes with
one or TWO we'll directed volleys and,as
many yells. Not so with those Buck
tail Ohioans. They were like crab
como at you in all shapes.
My close call. This was on Sunday
evening about sundown. We had
drawn our supper, few hard tack end
little English mule. I was sitting
with my head near the brcastwork
joking and laughing with my brother
about something. In q twinkle-rllD
tell it as it was told to met seemed
that my head was in big iron pot
and the pot collapsed. [ saw lot of
blood and that's all. The next thing
[ knew found man standing over
me working at something in my head
that gave me pain, but my ears. were
ringing so I could hear nothing.
soon found out that I was in the hos
pital tent two miles from where was
hurt. A percussion shell had struck
the top Of the breastwork just over my
head. The concussion was within less
than ons inch being near enough to
have killed me outright. 1t did me
good turn after all. AS our army was
going to evacuate jackson, DR.. Muir
ray said If had anywhere that I could
go in the State until I got we'll he
would give me transportation. I had,
an uncle and aunt near Crawfordville,
Lowndes County, so he sent me to.
Macon hospital. I was handy to my
good relations and imposed on their
hospitality great deal. In Septem-
Der | reported to my command at Sui
livan's Island, Charleston, S. G.
While there saw the torpedo boat,
John Hunnly, the night she went out
and blew up the receiving ship, Hous-
atonick. The recoil from the torpedo
blew the Hunnly to the. bottom and
stuck her fast. She was gotten up Of
ter the war. All the crew that
perished we're hauled to the top with
her.
Petersburg close call. Our brigade
wore in the or 'snchments in front Of
petarshurp near vhat wao noeo Ior
dams house-Jerusalem plank road
was half mile to our right. We we're
on the brow Of q big hill, the enemy
was down in the ravine. This was
the place of the crater. We were
there from the 18th of June, 1864, un-
til September. By we, I mean Evans
old brigade, 18th, 18th. 23rd and 26th
Holcombe Legion, all S, G. VS.. com
mandcd then by Colonel Elliott, of
Fort Sumter fame.