The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-06-18

on me that was forced to look away
from his face. 1t has never seemed
like could bear what would have
seen If my eyes had fingered on his
iace an atom of time praying
az | was witt. such eernestness TO the
glver of all good for his safety.
And here an unaccountable strange
thing happened that 1 have thought
may have been a mercy to me. As
soon as we looked away from each
other face, the instant my short
mental prayer for his safety was end
ed, my brother passed totally out of
my memory, nor did once think of
HIM during the whole dreadful battle,
and DO not know when he would
have returned to my memory again if
comradc had not forced ME to think
Of him.
The instant we looked away from
each other the firing commenced and
we had advanced some distance by
the time the enemy abandoned the
contest and gave back half mile or
more. But as yet no one knew wheth
er the enemy were not preparing for
another onslaught with redoubled
fury, and while many of the men con.
tinued lying as they were when the
enemy gave back, ready, some had
risen up and we're standing still, and
few "erc walking about Just in rear
OF tie line, slowly and aimlessly.
There were no staff officers, couriers,
or orderlies passing about with orders.
No one seemed to be in command.
Men were not talking to each other.
There had suddenly come strange
silence and stiffness over that part of
the Wilderness. There were no
wounded within sight or hearing, for
the litter bearers on each side had
done their duty we'll and promptly,
bearing the severely wounded away to
the hospitals as fast as they fell.
Our dead were scattered about in
rear of the line, silent and free for
eyer from the strife Of horrible war.
Commencing few yards in front of
our line and extending out for nearly
Il halt mile were lying equally as silent
the dead of the enemy, and also for
evc7 freed from human strife. The
great number Of the enemy's dead was
truly shocking to behold, and when we
came to examine the field it seemed
strange that any escaped from it alive.
There were many small oaks growing
there from two or three to six inches
in diameter: and all the bark was shot
oif every one Of them from the ground
upward into the limbs, and many Of
them three or five inches in diameter
were completely riddled or shattered
that they were fallen down. Such
was the case ever many acres Of the
ground near the main road, and it was
all done by rife balls in the hands Of
the Infantry. It was among this de.
struction Of the forest that such
shocking numbers Of the enemy lay
dead just beyond this destruction
we came to one long straight line of
their dead. seemingly onc-third of a
full line of battle, their heads all
pointing forward in the direction they
were advancing. This was done BY
Thomas men with one volley before
they wc:e forced from the field, as re-
lated above, having held their fire for
the purpose According to the usual
proportion Of wounded to killed there
could not have been but few, if any,
OF that column escaped unhurt.
1t may have been ten or fifteen min.
utes after the firing ceased, while the
strange stiffness was over the battle
field, when we seemed to be abandon
ed or forgotten By those in command.
| was standing a few feet in rear of
the line, silent like every one else.
| have no idea what i was thinking
about, but my brother had not return
ed to my memory until comrade came
up to me unseen and said to me
hoarsely: George, do you know
Henry is killed."
| remembered looking at him with
out speaking, that I did not believe
he was telling the truth, though 7 did
not doubt he thought he was. re-
member the horrifed look that sud-
denly can over his face, his turning
away quickly and starting off in sort
of sneak, rapidly getting faster and
faster until he was among the other
men. do not know what he saw in
my naturally mild, harmless look, but
judging from his appearance and mo.
tions think he was in mortal fear