The National tribune., 1902-05-29

where we are going, but we are on the
road to Raleigh, n. c. We have just
learned that Sherman almost entirely de-
stroyed Columbia. S. c.
March Ibid not move today. The
enemy are on us in strong force, and we
have heavy fighting with his advance. We
are three miles from AverasborO, n. c.
March 15.-Everything quiet until about
II a. NJ, when, in consequence of the
movements of the enemy, we had to
change our position. We formed line of
battle near our camping ground. Rhett's
Brigade of Taliaferro's Division, engaged
all day. Hard rain in the afternoon.
March Unchanged our position in line
of battle yesterday several times. Built
breast works every time.
We are in battle array today. Our
corps is in two lines of battle-Taliafer-
ro's Division in the front line and our d-
vision McLaws'sj in the second line, with
our brigade on the extreme right of this
second line.
A CRITICAL MOMENT.
About 10 a. m. my regiment was ordered
forward to prevent the enemy from turn
lDS Tie tight VI the lIoIt Iiilt. we IoN GU
to the right until we reached a swamp,
when we moved forward. We had ad-
vanced probably one or two hundred
yards, when we were fired upon by the
enemy's skirmishers posted in the swamp.
We did not return this fire, but pushed
ahead. the enemy's skirmishers falling
back. The swamp. like most swamps, was
thick, but the woods where we were We're
rather open. and we could see and be seen
for some distance. While thus advancing
in line of battle, and when within about
$50 yards of our front line, the men in it
tumbled over their breastworks and hid
on the side next to the enemy, while those
near the swamp jumped up and ran into
the swamp and got behind such trees as
would hide them. They had evidently
taken us for Yankees. as so many of our
men had on blue Yankee overcoats, and
their actions led our men to think that
they were Yankees.
When the front line jumped the breast
works my regiment halted, as if by COM
mon consent, and the command to fire
rang out. / was with the colors, and
when l noticed the men in front / cOnclud
ed they were our men, and We're uncertain
as TO who We were. So when the COM
mand to fire was given / jumped in front
of the regiment and called out, Don't
urt. My SolOuel cdIleu Out 10 l1e 10
know what ] meant. l replied that the
men in front were our men. He asked me
how l knew. / replied / did not know,
but thought that they must be. as we
could not have passed the front line with
out seeing il. He then told me TO go and
see who they We're. j turned and went
on the errand. When about half way /
began to think j might be mistaken, but
as / could sec none of them and was not
6rad on I oil I cd S.r i,bt
up to the end of the breastworks. which
terminated in the edge of the swamp. AT
this point there were four or FIVE very
large trees, and when within 90 or 80 steps
Of these a mans head appeared from be-
hind one of them. and he hailed me with.
who are your Said /, ''Who are you?"
He answered. Il belong to the I'd S. G..
Artillery" / then told him that belong
ed to the I'd S. C. Infantry. He did not
seem to be satisfied, for he remained be-
hind the tree. l then turned to look back.
and / saw the regiment advancing. with
the Colonel some distance in front When
the Colonel reached me l told him of my
conversation with the man behind the tree.
BY this time the regiment had reached us,
when the man behind the tree rushed ont
(and he proved to be IN officer, waved
his sword, and called out to his men.
Come out from behind those trees, you
cowardly scoundrels. Here are men who
will fghtr'
Just at this moment the enemy advanc-
ed and opened fire. when the whole of the
front line hereabouts broke and fed to the
rear, leaving my regiment to hold the line
As our force was not large enough to hold
Sherman's army. we retired decently and
III order. but no little amused over recent
happenings
As we fell back the enemy continued TO
advance. We retired until we reached the
second line, when we took up our old posi-
ton. The front line had also been rallied
on the second. aud in this position we
awaited the attack which we knew would
come. But the enemy did not press their
advantage, but halted in our front, and
soon the sound of axes and falling trees
warned us that they were foltifying Our
part of the line was in low mace and
about bare OF timber, so that we had very
poor protection. However. we had built
some sort of a breas.work out of logs.
rocks, etc, which afforded protection when
lying or sitting down.
sILENcIsG 4 BATTERY.
While the enemy were building breast
works We were heavily engaged with their
skirmishers. While this part of tie per-
Torrance WIS in progress, the enemy ran
out battery on the left of our brigade.
and only about 100 yards from the front
completely enfiladcd my regiment. At this
tiine my Colonel, the Adjutant and myself
were seated or reclining on the ground be-
hind our barricade just at the colors. and
the first slot from the battery just missed
my back, passed between the arm and the
body of my Colonel, just missed the Adju.
tant. struck the ground and ricochetted
down the line and hit two men in my com
pany. The Colonel called his Orderly. and
told him TO 20 and tell the commander of
the troops Oh our left to silence those
guns. The battery kept firing. and our
men getting under cover as fast as posi-
BILE. Presently, above the din of the guns
We heard the command ring out: .'Atten-
ton! Ready. Aim Fire. followed by Il
Voiley. The battery left instantcr. and did
not reappear there. The troops on our
left were militia, and this was their first
battle. and it seems that they did not think
II their duty 20 fire on the battery. as II
was not molesting them. This war has
developed lot of queer traits in human
kind
The enemy reinforced his skirmish line
and all along the line regular battle en-
sued This was heavy stand-up fight
Dnt the timber was great protection Il
Sherman's folks. Finally the sound os tho
axes along the enemy s line ceased, aaC
their infantry assaulted OR lines. 1t was
late IN the afternoon. Tie fight was ferc,
and heavy while il lasted, but our fire was
too severe for them. and about dark they
were repnlsed and withdrew. Our iosse.
were not so serious in numbers, but the,
We're serious setback, as we could not
rDnfRnISh nil he