The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-12-25
Battle of Nine Mile Road"
AAanss journal.

bcrs engaged In this battle It might
nQtanterest many. / only wish to
4 fshow how tho tattered and footsore
lcgions Of Lee and Jackson could fight
against the odds they had to contend
with.
This particular engagement was
fought with not exceeding one hun
dred men, against brigade of negro
troops on the Nine Mile road. Gen
eral Grant was putting forth his best
I'eforts to capture the much coveted
capital Of the confederacy and was
rushing strong columns of troops along
the Charles City, Williamsburg and
Nine Mile road. We had been fight
lug along our front aud every man had
his hands full. A courier came dash
ing up for section OF our battery to
report at once to this road to repel an
attack from that quarter. The order
was given to timber up and cannoneers
mounted, and we dashed with oil pos
sible speed, drivers applying lash and
spur, cannoneers swinging to guard
rods, wheels rebounding. Speed was
very necessary at this moment to
check this advance. We, however,
soon found position and also plenty
to shoot at. have seen men fight by
squads, regiments, brigades and army
corps, but this handful of men had
work to do.
General Gary in the meantime had
come up to our aid with about sixty
men Of the famous Hampton legion,
and deployed his men between our
guns, with his characteristic, sharp,
decisive command, to stand by those
guns. These cavalrymen put up one
OF the best fights of the war right
here, and stayed wi th us till we had
repulsed three distinct charges Of the
enemy.
will here state Sergeant Hill had
planted parrot gun in temporary
ea-thwork Just to the right Of the
road. The Napoleon gun was placed
to the left of the road, 30 as to give
an oblique fire down the lines. To
the right was pine thioket and the
enemy could come within about 400
yards under cover of this woods, but
we never let up firing, and sent many
damaging shots whizzing through this
timber.
But late in the evening the enemy
came again with renewed spirits.
Barleyoorn, deploying their column so
as to flank US by tapping around our
left, drove us from position.
In shooting down the lines this Ma
poleon gun was charged with double
canister and when the gun was fred
l put it mildly to say, "some one was
hurt" This gun in the reooil would
jump back about four corn rows.
They came over the works and cap
tured our guns, but only for about 80
minutes. l being with the gun on
the left, ordered the drivers to retire
with the horses and leave the gun as
We were pressed so tightly. and it
proved the proper thing to do in this
emergency, 30 as not to use our own
guns on US. Now Sergeant Hill being
farther to the. right ordered his gun
out and had it limbered up when the
enemy caught him before getting
away, and dubbed Daniel Holiday off
the rear horses. Now, Dan was six
footer anu not to DO tTiaod With. He
arose with all his might, grabbed the
gun. wrenched it from the soldiers
hand and dealt o blow that left one
soldier less to fight; then he broke
and ran and strange to say, although
surrounded by the enemy, he made
his escape.
The strange part to me has always
been that the only casualties with our
two pieces was the capture Of two
men, Cooper and Bets. Sergeant Hill
had his horse tied to sappiing and
they never had time to take him of in
their hurried retreat.
daliant and dashing young officer,
Tom Logan, came up full tilt with the
Hampton legion and drove the enemy
from the works, recaptured our guns
and opened deadly FIRE at about 20
PAGES. They captured two Of the
legion. SO says former comrade who
was in charge, and bayonetted them. |
This 80 incensed the legion that with |
the sharp crack OF the oarbine and |
clashing sabres flying right and left |
we drove them back into this dense i
pine thicket, and night coming on is |
what saved the whole turnout.
Now, in honor OF the battle. sc AIRED |