The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-05-07
WAR STORIES.
Tige -Andcrson's Brigade at OK Hill.


before he called and VIC went to him,
and sure enough there he was stretch
cd at full length on his back, with six
ball holes in him that We could see.
Some one had deprived him of every
thing except his shirt, pants and
socks, but did not think enough Of the
poor fellow to give him decent burial,
and doubt his ever being buried.
We decided he must have been very
Lravc man or a fool, to shoot down the
colonel in front Of his regiment when
he knew it would be certain death to
him. Tigc Anderson brigade was on
It's old camping ground, having re-
maincd around Manassas and Center
vile from the first battle in July un-
til the Sth Of March, 1862, during the
time building winter quarters near
Manassas Junction. The regulars had
done picket duty all over the country,
as far ou, as Accotink Creek and Nun
son $ hill, where We saw our first blue
coats and did our first outpost duty in
Virginia.
While at Falls Church under Briga-
dier General James Longstrcct and
Colonel j. Il. B. Stewart, of the ia
nous "Black Horse regiment, the
regulars smclt their first powder at a
suall village called Lcwinsvillc, near
chain bridge, on the Potomac.
The second battle Of Manassas was
brought on by General Pope ordering
General Porter to turn Jackson S right
flank twenty seven hours after Long
street had arrived and taken position
on the field. Coming in contact with
Longstrcc,, he did not succeed, and
General Pope, having to place tho
blame for his defeat on some one, had
General Porter, after the battle, court
martialcd and cashicrcd for failing to
accomplish an impossibility. At the
same time he gave Lonzstrcet one of
the hardest fights it was ever my good
fortune to participate in. (Many
years after the war Congress rcinsta-
ted General Porter with full rank and
pay, a noble dec1) Some of General
Lawton' men in Johnston command
told me that at II o'clock Friday they
were in the railroad cut near Grove
ton, with the Federal line confronting
them, without a single gun being fired
on the line. When Longstrcct ar.
rived, Long Tom, famous rifle
piece captured from Sherman battery
at the first battle of Manassas, was at
the head of the column and opened
fire on the enemy.
The echoes Of the first gun had not
ceased rcvcrberating over the hills b.
Tore every man in the Federal lines
was on his feet, and it could be heard
all along the line, "Longstreet has
arrived they knew by the sound of
the gun. 1t has always been mys-
terry to me why the famous General
Pope did not know of Longstrect ar
rival as we'll as his men. Lawton S
men were charged in the railroad cut
by Billie Wilson's zouaves, coming up
near enough to wave their flags over
the Confederates heads. They left
on less than one acre Of ground 300 Of
their dead.
While Anderson's brigade was near
the Federal hospital, l saw General
Lee walking about with his arm in a
sling. Report said that morning he
had been wounded by a spent ball
fired by some cowardly soldier who
failed to shoot off his gun in the bat
tie the day before. Let that be as it
may, the general rode in the ambu-
lance the most Of the trip through
Maryland. l have never seen or cx-
rcct to see another soldier or man that
will compare with Il. Il. Ice.
He must have been something over
six feet in height, with an erect mill
tary figure. weighing somewhere be-
tween 100 and 175 pounds. His hair
in youth must have been black, bat
at that time was fast turning gray.
He wore closely cropped full beard
and mustache His eyes were lack
and as piercing rs those Of an eagle.
lie had the grandest, most command
ing appearance of any man l ever saw.
AS his boys would say, "Look at Mars
Robert; he looks like he was born to
command tho world"
There was nothing put on about him.
have seen corporals put on more
frills; in other words, General Lees
overcoat with cape thrown in would
not have made the Zap Oil the vest
pocket of some of our small fry Off.
GERS. He was the idol of his men i,
they having the same confidence iu
him that a child has in its parents.