The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-04-09

My object in writing this article is
not altogether on account Of the "closc
calls that I could call to memory
during my service Of three years in
the Confederate States army; but to
portray to you some Of the exciting
scenes and events in the career of
every soldier. among which was an
humble actor. All the important
events, especially of great battles,
have long since passed into history.
now only wish to present facts as I
saw them, and my desire is to do JUS
ticc to all, whether friend or foe 1t
was dark, wintry night, snow had
fallen during the afternoon. a mist
ing rain, together with occasional
hail stones, began to fall upon the roof
Of the old mansion. The howling
winds, the rafting of the window
pancs and the impcnetrablc darkness
had changed day into the gloom Of
night. My father glanced up from
his newspaper and said: "All is quiet
along the Potomac tonight" He was
sitting by my side in large arm chair
in front Of an immense, old d-fashioncd
fireplace, in which was pair of old
brass andirons. a hickory log fire
vas burning brightly, which illnmina-
ted the room and threw soft shadows
round about us. In my Imagination
could see strange figures upon The
rcd hot logs as sat in my chair
thinking of the boys 1 had left in
camp. watched with childish glcc
the many different .orms and shapes
e figures as they would come and go.
coCiI see the cavalry columns wind
ing their way along some unfrcqucnt-
ed paths among the hills and valleys
of old Virginia. could see the army
wagons moving along the highways
and hear the crack Of the driver
whip. could hear the clear. ringing
sound Of tho buglc, the yclls from a
thousand throats and sec the charge
of the mighty hosts. Then the scene
would change and I could see spurts of
smoke and hear the sound of bursting
shells, leaving in their wake wheels
of smoke as the, rushed onward in
their work Of destruction. The COM
forts Of home were being enjoyed once
more.
Suddenly loud rap upon the hall
door startled US. l sprang from my
chair and grasped my pistol, but just
then the door was swung open by our
negro man, Nimrod, and Lieut.. Fisher
rushed in, exclaiming, Saddle
your horses; the Yankees are on the
roadl'
The lieutenant was friend Of mine,
was a member Of the JEFF Davis Lee
gion Of Mississippi. he had been
sick, and I had invited him home with
me to remain until he recovered. He
had been out riding during tho day,
and had received this news from some
one on the road. / said "Como in.
Fisher, and tell me all the news. Is
there chance for q round with them
to-night?' The ice upon his
heavy black mustache and tho
mud upon his cavalry boots show
ed plainly that the night air was
very cold and that he had been riding
hard.
4Huccum you out sech mite as
dis, Marsc Fisher? Go in de dinin'
room and git yo'r supper, while I put
dat horse O yourn up. Wo dar,
horse! What y'u name? I spcck
Marse Fisher dun name you arter
some big man down souf. Stan
roun' dar, Gov ner Vance!" said Uncle
Nimrod.
Wcll, We sat down to talk it all over,
examine our pistols, cai tridges, etc.
Early the next morning, about day
break, we mounted our horses and
rode down to a little village nearby,
where we were Informed that General
Custer, with two two-inch Parrott guns
and 500 picked men of his command,
had started the evening before from
Hazel River, Culpeppcr County, Vir-
ginia, and was marching by the way of
James City, small town in Madison
County, for Charlottesville His OBJ
iect was to destroy the Virginia Cen
trail railroad, the telegraph lines and
the monument to Jefferson. the Uni
versity of Virginia. Dahlgren made
his famous (or rather infamous) raid
on the city Of Richmond about the
same time, and in which he lost
his life. In few hours we had got
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