The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-08-10
BY VIM. c. WARD.

and the left, Company D, Captain MoCaa,
reaching to and across the railroad.
Captain Walthall, Company g. was imme-
diately on the right of Captain McCaa,
the other companies filling the interval.
This made our line of battle east of the
fence and gin house. resting In the open
valley and about one-half mile in length.
the men being deployed at about five
PAGES distant, one from the other. In the
road on the right of the battalion was a
small field piece manned by a small squad
of University cadets, gathered by General
Watts, while passing through Montgom-
cry and hurried forward to the scene OF
action. If there were others, this writer
did not see them. The skirmish occurred
about a. m, and the skirmish line
had been formed with the expectation
that the attack would be renewed. No
explanation was ever made why we were
not formed behind the fence on the hill
where there was some protection, or In
the wood-eovered hill in our front, which
afforded an admirable cover for slKirmish-
ers.
1t must have been after II m. when,
from the wood-covered hill. without any
notice of the presence of the concealed
rihemen, a heavy, well-directed fire from
Spence rifles was poured into our line all
was met by heavy fusilade from our
old muskets. making a great uproar, the
balls, however. not reaching the enemy.
The Federals fired rapidly from their con-
cealment, but because our sklrmisher5
were lying down, did not do much exeou-
ton, their balls cutting through the per-
simmon bushes over our heads, occa-
sionally falling among us. Looking to
the left. the writer saw the railroad track
covered with blue blouses, at run to
turn our left flank This movement had
the intended effect. As the result of a
well-directed fire at short range, our left
gave way and sought the cover of the
fence and of the willow copse. This
thanking movement soon spent its force,
while the battle ragged holly on our right
The fire in our front soon ceased, and as
a bugle call was heard 1t was supposed
the enemy had withdrawn. At this point
of time a body of mounted militia from
the direction of Tuskegee, well clad in
brown linen, bravely rode on the field and
dismounted at the gin house, and laid
down behind the fence that crossed the
field in our rear. When well sheltered
by the fence the militia raised a great
shout, challenging the enemy to renew
the battle.
In tho meantime, Company AS slSr-
mishers assembled on the right resting on
the road. 1t was then seen that the
horses attached to the artillery wagons,
becoming frightened, had turned over the
cannon into a gully by the road. and had
kicked loose. The cadets, whose duty 1t
was to man the gun, were under the
cover of a fence in the edge of the tim
Der. If the gun had been In battery on
the hill, a few well-directed spherical
case shots against the enemy's center
and left would have been worth a COM
pany of cavalry. Having been ordered
to change position to the left of the bat
talon to protect the railroad and pre-
vent another flank movement, Company
A conference.-the towards the gin house
on the hill Company A guarded the
railroad until late in the day, when Ii was
ascertained that there was no enemy in
our immediate front, and was then moved
back to the bridge over ufaupee Creek,
guarding 1t during the night. On the
day following we followed the enemy
along the line of smoking ruins left in
their wake.
AS the result of the battle, Captain
Walthall had five killed, including Lieut.
enant Bethea, and about FIVE wounded
OF Company D, Private Files was killed,
Captain McCaa severely wounded and
Privates Winnie, Hunt, Craig, Beasley
and Tom Smith were wounded. The 9TH
er companies averaged about two each
wounded The loss may then be approx
imately given at six killed and twenty
wounded
Incidents of the Battle.
The shame of ii all was that five hun
dred brave boys, almost without offensive
weapons, were sent to attack 1900 veteran
cavalry well armed with Spencer rifles,
and commanded by one of the most
skillful and enterprising cavalry gener-
ais in the Federal army selected for the
particular service and this, too, when
the ordinance officer at Selma had on
hand an ample supply of Enfield rifles
When in the presence of the enemy we
were directed by an officer on somebody s
staff of whom we had never heard. and
who showed his inexperience by placing
the boys in a most exposed position in an
open field, while the enemy occupied a
wood-covered hill. Private Tom Wells
killed two Of the enemy on the railroad
while that thanking column was dashine
forward to turn our left. One of these
was found after the battle with his brains
| oozing out from shot through the head
| One of the boys attempted to remove q
| silver cup fastened to his belt, when he
! begged that it be not taken from him, as
| 1t was the gift of his mother. To this
| reply that 1t could do him no good, as he
! could only live few minutes longer, he
said: You don't think this little thins
will kill man."
William Hunt, while in the act of Civ