The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1902-04-04
SKETCHES OF ARMY LIFE.
Interesting Incidents OF the Civil War Re
lated by TX. Con. Fed " A Member
OF Third s. e. Regiment.

We spent the winter at Russelville,
Tenn, and such a winter it was. We
were nearly all barefooted and with
out sufficient clothing. Finally the
railroad from Virginia was repaired,
and we got fairly shod and clothed.
Here some more soldiers were shot.
We kept up our drilling and guard
duty. During the winter we took
one tramp. We went to cambridge,
distant from Russellville about 81
miles. | was detailed to carry the
colors on this trip. In the early
spring we moved to New Market
nearer Knoxville. We subsisted dur
ing the winter from the country. We
usually had meat plenty but bread
was scarce. We finally moved back
to Bulls Gap and then back to Green
Vile. Here we were paid off, and l
never saw as much gambling any
where. Then we took up the march
to Bristol. Here our rations were
scant indeed and of the poorest quail
ity. The bread consisted of what
was called "Tax in Kind" wheat,
oats and chaff were ground up with
out boiling; we we're only given
three. quarters of a pound per day of
such stuff. | have sat down and eaten
what was issued for three days at
one meal, and then depended on
what could be picked up. On this
trip some soldier stole from me about
Is los. of -four. At Bristol some of
the troops charged the commissary
house, and few were shot, but the
boys got away with good deal of
-four. We took the train ut Bristol
for Lynchburg. It was about the
middle of April, but there were snow
showers all day. After spending q
day or two at Lynchburg we took
train for Charlottesville. Here we
quit the train and marched to Cor
donsville. Here were great religious
meetings-preaching every day and
night. The Sd regiment had less
preaching than any regiment that l
know of. While in Columbia Uncle
Dicky Woodruff preached some for u.s.
When we went to Virginia a Bap-
tist minister of the Reedy River AS
sociation was appointed chaplain;
he preached two or three times dur
ing the time he v as with us; his
greatest employment was bringing
whiekey for the officers; after that
our regiment had no chaplain and
we called it a good riddance; but
other regiments had fine preachers,
but the Mississippi brigade had the
best chaplsins in the army; they lived
with the privates, took the same fare
and preached at every opportunity.
At Gordonsville an Episcopal preach
or was assigned to our brigade. He
went to reading his prayers, and at
the first amen the boys arose from
their knees and he soon learned to
preach and pray without the book OF
prayer.
On the 9TH of May we commenced
to march toward the Wilderness.
We stopped about 1 o'clock and went
into camp, but during the night we
we're aroused and hurried to the front.
We were marching by flank down the
plank road, the Sd regiment in front,
when minnie balls came flying up
our lines. We were thrown across
the road, four companies on the left
and six on the right of the road. An
order came to move to the right; six
companies moved and four. did not;
we halted and was forming when
Lees troops came pouring through
our lines; the Federals we're at their
heels; they passed in the open space
where there we're 10 troops. We
were not through adjusting our lines
when we were attacked on the left
flank. Col. Nance had just told NE
to get my men in line and passed to
the left when the federals opened
fire. Col. Nance was killed; l was
shot down, and great many of our
bows we're killed and wounded Our
regiment was driven back and the
FederaIs advanced over me. A lieu
tenant stood with his sword and