The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1902-05-08

tween Charleston ana savannah. anu
there joined the forces opposing sherman
We found our forces in line of battle OH
the north side of the Salkehatchie River,
and Sherman's forces on the south side of
the same stream.
We were placed in line at the crossing
of the Charleston & Savannah Railroad,
the railroad bridge across the river hav-
ing been destroyed. The principal COM
mands of both armies were posted IN the
swamps on either side of the river.
Lieut.-Gen. Hardee is in command of
the troops both here and at Charleston.
Maj .-Gens. McLaws and Taliaferro com
mand the two divisions of Hardee S
Corps. Ny brigade was attached to Gen.
McLaws'S Division, on the line of the
Salkehatchie River. The division is COM
posed of coast troops. old men and boys,
except our brigade of veteran soldiers. 1t
is an inexperienced and hastily collected
mass of humanity, but full of spirit.
l was wounded and captured at the bat
tie of Gettysburg. July 2, 1863, and was
carried to Fort Delaware, where | was
confined until about Nov. /, 1864, when l
was exchanged, reaching Savannah and
freedom about Dec. l following. l re
ceived a furlough. and rejOined my old
command. the ID S. C. V, on this date,
namely. Jan. 20. on the line along the
Salkahatchie River S. C. l had had q
long experience in actual warfare before
Gettysburg, and after that had long and
varied experience in captivity.
WITH MY REGIMENT AGAIN.
] reached my old regiment about 3
o'clock in the afternoon. Just i'll time to be
too late for a brush with the enemy, my
command having been engaged for two
or three hours just previous TO my arrival.
/ spent the remainder of the day greet
ing my old comrades and making the ac
Quaintance of the new men in my COM
pany. When night came / was a full
fedged soldier again, and ready to help
clean up the Yankee Nation, or, rather,
what l thought was left of it. / was put
TO work early. At II o'clock p. IN. l was
posted on camp watch, which duty / kept
up for two hours, when | was relieved.
All / had to do on this watch was to
"see" that the darkness did not leave US
before sunrise, or was not washed away
by the falling rain. The enemy on the
opposite side Of the river were real good,
as / never heard even so much as whim-
per from them all night.
Jan. 21.-Firing all along our lines to-
day. but owing to the river and the thick
woods there was not much damage done
TO our side. No chance for making a mill
tary reputation here. as neither side can
charge the other. We were simply here
to hold the line and defend the various
crossings, and as Sherman is the aggressOr
1t will devolve upon him to attack us and
force a passage, or else turn our right
flank. or both.
These Western Yankees are game fight
ers, and our superior craftsmanship is
about our only chance in coping with
them, as they also outnumber US three to
one and are all veterans.
The most stubborn and reckless fool on
earth is the man who does not know
s,-l,u h. VI " A.,
what licking means, as we are new at
the business and have not had enough to
make US ''holler" yet.
Jan. pa section of our artillery was
brought up to-day and posted on the rail
road dump, and opened fire on the Yam
KEGS, who were engaged in tearing up the
railroad track beyond the river. This did
not stop them; they kept at work as
though they were not mOlestcd. The fire
of our guns was very poor. The enemy
did not reply to this fire, for TO do so
would have necesSitated their removing
the men from the railroad dump and thus
stopped the work of destroying the rail
road. Their working forces are out of
reach of our infantry fire.
Our infantry was engaged all day fight
ing the enemy across the river. without
much loss to either side, except in ammu-
milton.
j am satisfied that Sherman is simply
making a display of force here to hold us
while he makes his real attack higher up
the river, where the stream is narrower
and not so swampy. Rain, rain; Noah's
day over again.
Jan. 23.-The river has overflOwed its
banks, and has, in consequence. driven
both armies to higher ground. We have
had TO move our lines, and scouts report
that the enemy have retired from our i'm
mediate front. Weather cleared up about
night and got cold. No firing today.
Jan. A.-The river is still rising. Clear
and cold. All quiet along the lines.
Jan. 25.-1he river still rising. Our
brigade drew clothing today. All quiet
along our front. Cloudy and cold all day
Jan. 26.-RiveT commenced TO fall, and
the enemy appeared again, and the firing
was renewed. No one hurt on our side
Cold, clear day.
A YANKEE DESERTER.
Jan. 27.-All quiet along our front to-
day. A deserter from the Both Ohio came
into our lines yesterday. He said that he
was tired of the war. He just came over
TO let us know it. l suppose as he
had no one else in his own ranks
who was feeling as he did he sought our
side for company. The way his comrades
fight is proof that they are still full of
spirit. This descrter from the 3gth Ohio
was no room for kindness to purge his
guilty soul or save him from disgrace. for
In our hearts we had no confidence in any
thing he said.
All quiet in our immediate front The
enemy active higher up the river. Cold
and clear.
Jan. 29.-Went on picket duty today. on
the river east of the railroad Some of
the boys startled n drove of wild turkeys
In the swamp, and they flew over my DO
sition. ] at first thought that they were
shells; their wings and bodies cleaving the
cir produced 4 noise similar to that of n
shell.
Some sharpshooting on the line. but no
one hurt on our side. The enemy unusual
ly active all along our line.
Jan. 30.-Moyed our lines down to the
river bank. The enemy soon appeared OH
the opposite side. Opened on them with
artillery and infantry.
i spent one hour on picket post. Moth
Ing like & battle, but the enemy would
lead us to believe that they intended TO
cross at this point. We have orders to
send our heavy baggage TO the rear at
daylight. Cold.
Jan. 31.-The enemy very active in our
front. All Of the troops on our part of
the line have retreated except our brigade
The enemy attacked the Sd S. G. Bat
TALON Of our brigade, but was repulsed.
We lost one man killed. The loss of the
enemy unknown.
Feb. 1.-The enemy did not appear to-
day. All quiet.
Feb. 2.-The enemy still quiet.
SHERMAN CROSSES THE sALKEHATcuIE.
Feb. 3.-The Federals drove Gen. Nc
n <n.