Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1903-08-14
War Story.

Nh. Editor Two weeks ago we had
short account Of the lighting of the
18th Virginia Regiment OF Infantry ON
the 9th and 9th Of May 1864. ON the
evening OF the 9th the brigade. to which
the 18th Virginia was attached, march.
cd some distance through tho woods
and thick undergrowth, tu a point be-
tween Gen. Grants extreme right and
the kpidan river, whore we formed in
line at rig I angl with the line of
"itth works occupied 10y the enemy.
Ih"re we were addressed by General
John II. Gordon. A part of that speech
~ still remembered lie told us thnt
ms father and mother wcre Virpininns
that he was proud of Virginia and
her people that he knew each man of
us would do his whole duty, etc. By
that time the boys had got so cnthuscd
that they told him they would do any
tlllng, go anywhere, follow him To any
place he might name. Tho command
was given, a most brilliant dash WINS
made, the earth works cnllladod. and
the enemy driven inlo the thick under
growth beyond But some of the poor.
gallant fellows never reached the
works. Frank Thomasson, oi co. L.
fell near the enemy. The hand that
went To- his rescue after that fight was
over, as 1t was placed beneath his fore
head to turn him over. was stained
with the blood and brains of as gallant
and worthy "a youth as you would wish
10 know.
After the work was done and We had
time to look around and count noses.
we found only Co, ID. and four mem
bers boys, from Culpcper
company. Their names were, as well as
memory serves, Purke, Kirkc. White
and lagcr. They should not be for
gotten. The brigade had, in the dense
undergrowth, moved too far To the
right, leaving n considerable gap be-
tween us and them. From our posi-
ton on the left we knew better the
location OF the enemy than those on
the right, hence the gap. Col Terrill,
commanding the 18th Regiment, an ac-
complished gentleman, and a brave
soldier, of whom the whole command
was proud, being sent for, and looking
over the ground, said he would have
the brigade moved and form on our
right. 1t was unfortunate that Gen.
John w. Pcgram had been wounded ON
the day before, and that the senior
Col. was In command Of the brigade
This Col, refusing TO listen To Col.
Terrill, and not seeing tor himself or
dered us 10 relinquish tho works and
take our place on his left So all we
fought for was surrendered, and NOT
only that, but other losses resulted
that night, for the possession OF the
works that he had made us surrender
An incident OF this fight should live.
One OF the boys from Culpeper, ,Purxc /
believe, but am not sure, when, in our
charge, we had gotten In about twenty
yards OF the enemy, caught sight Of a
liaS waving from pole stuck in the
soft e'rth-works, behind which was n
dense mass of blue-coats whose guns
glistened in the light. Without a mo
nents hesitation this boy was seen tc
dash forward, seize this flag, and g,t
away with il without scratch. He was
as proud OF his trophy as child was
OF new toy. Why he was not killed
Is unknown TO this day. The enemy
may have been so astonished at his
fool-hardiness that they forgot to
shoot, or taken with his smiling boyish
face may bavc spared him on that ac
count. Wager was killed on the 18th
OF May 1864, in the bloody angIc-sho
between the eyes, and fell, touching tn,
writer OF this. If either of the other,
survive wi he please send his address.
TO Cl nch Valley News, Tazeweu, Va.
j w r.