Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-19
i CEDAR MOUNTAIN,
s,.rrfruENT TO a STORY PREvI-
orSII PUBLISHED.
WORK OF PURCELL BATTERY.
,.r Most Terrific Fire-Many
Fatalities in n Short Timc-In n
Tight Plnee-Getting on the Field.
Other Confederate Matter.

~ ss Editor Of the Dispatch:
In the interesting article of the battle
>, cedar Mountain in your Confederate
,s9rrg1 Of october 5 is an an account OF
iii, mart which Pegram's tPurcelD Bat
,.-e tork In said action, which is correct
lar IS II goes. but it does not give the
,3-ff-s. credit for being engaged in the
es-lir- and more important action. The
-r-f-s- was with the battery when it ad-
.-cea with Fields Brigade TO the night
,-z-'i on the retreating enemy, on Al
r-s, g The night was pitch dark. and we
sirgnrad ~ the road a mills or more
when ve came to an opening in the woods
q. our clr. 1t was about 9 o'clock; the
r-raar remained in the sunken road, and
. nnfle6 into the opening and opened
Ere when Immediately a battery opened
m IS with good range in our front $50
rr-- 10 Us that we could hear their Off
r.-s exAGrtip- them TO remain at their
r-res1 and one took US o'biiQuely and an
-.-rr firing down the road at our backs
SON can understand how we suffered
.-5,n their fire. when 1 say that the writer
went q a. No. s at the gun, and We had
pr,g fired 3 few rounds when l was adj
rsrced to acting as No 5 and No. at the
ON Gardner Thompson was No. l, An
Drew Drewry No. >. with Sergt- Skyron
rsnrio bringing the ammunition and aim
}rs the gun. tho rest Of the guns de-
t7rhmcut having been previously killed
rr wounded. The other guns suffered in
proportion. We fired about 8 dozen
POUNDS more when the writer himself
vas woun6ed-supposedl mortality. We
'7st g dozen or more horses, with several
ammunition chests blown up. This was
one al the hottest actions the battery was
Ill ,-l.~ -iv,1.a
sgai
the battery was also engaged in the
aa-L.er part Of the fight in the afternoon.
after long days march through the hot
August sun we came TO a point on the
,md where we met General Jackson and
OTHER officers. Our position was pointed
,H, 10 US in an open field to the right OF
tac road. AS we galloped to position we
saw q line Of battle drawn up behind a
worm fence beyond a large cornfield. we
ammhered and commenced firing en-
Them. when they advanced through the
ognfcli. making straight for the guns.
We fred round after round Of she'll and
Then canister. but still on they came IN
grand -style. We continued to fight them
alone Tor We had no support whatever
immediately near US at the time. we
rrsd until The enemy were right at the
guns and 10 save them captain feSldlh
gave INC command 10 Timber TO the
road" Three Of the guns drove OH, put
driver Jenkins. OF my piece, was Woundeu
or killed at this moment, and Captain
ror.am ordered another man to mount
and drive off He was slow in obeyins,
when Pesram raised his sword to strike
him. ana repeated the command. Ihen
the writer volunteered, mounted the LED
toam and was away barely in time 10
rsye the gun We pulled a short distance
70 the rear and took position, When we
paw our infantry on our TANKS, ana me
or,uv fo,j back losing some GOO prisoners
of General Pierce's Brigade. The writer
won't over the field Immediately after
wards, and saw scores of dead from the
effects of our guns
]. w. D. FARRAR,
Purcell Battery,
A =. HIS Division.