The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-05-20

|
three Divisions, viz, Jacksons ) old
Division under Gen. Colston, d. II.
Hills division under Gen. Rodcs, and
A. p. Hills division. and small
force Of calvary, in all about thirty
thousand men.
About S o'clock u. H., Saturday
morning, May =, our Brigade started
on this memorable march around the
Federal army. Following devious
country roads, on they marched, some
times through en- almost unbrokcn
wilderness Of woods. Jackson's order
Vas continually repeated along the
line Of march. "Prcss on, press right
on Pretty soon we crossed creek
on which were iron works. Here
Federal Battery from an eminence on
! the Federal lihe shelled our line of
march, as they passed certain point
in the ravine. Here wo noticed that
it was natural for a fellow to duck his
head when shell shrioks close by.
The skirmish line marched along pa
rallcl with tho line of march and next
to the enemy. Major d. II. Duncan
was Oh this skirmish line. i noticed
one of these shells strike the ground
just in front Of him, scattering the
dirt and grass over his feet. The
major looked at it with that quizical
look as if he wauted to say something
funny about such salute but said
nothing. We marched rapidly until
about an hour before sunset. Then
we rested little while. We all felt
sure that we would soon be engaged in
battle, and danger and maybe death,
but here the boys had hearty laugh
all the same. orc of our members
was a raw recruit and not acquainted
with all tho implements of war. Just
then the pioneer corps, whose duty is
to construct bridges and clear out the
way for the passage of the army,
rushed by carrying their axes in leath-
er sheaths. The fellow exclaimed,
''Look, look! what in the world are
those fellows going to do with those
leather axcs?' Soon we struck the
plank road We had left in the morning
about four miles from the position we
had left, after circuit of fifteen miles
to get there, but the Federal army
was between us and the point we left.
We rested little while at the plank
road while Jackson was closing up
his line and preparing for action.
Here we noticed that our company
had no litters on which to bear off the
wounded, so the boys detailed for this
service cut two green chestnut poles.
had good blanket which I had
rolled up eighty doubled back in
loop, tied at the ends thrown over my
shoulders and carried during the
march. This they took, tied it to
the poles and carried it on their shoul-
ders through the exciting scenes of
that night, ard the next day. Rodes'
Division was in front, Colston's next,
and Hills next.
Gen. Howard 8 corps exte nded along
the plank road in the direction of
Orange 9. H.
Suddenly artillery opened in front
of US, and soon. the rattle of small
arms. Soon the firing receded from
US, the rebel cheer and peal of mus
kerry, showing running fight and
rapid retreat Of. the Federals. Our
Brigade marched rapidly down the
road. Federal arms and acooutre-
.ments and ths dead and wounded were
scattered along the road. About
dusk our Brigade caught up with the
second line of battle. Piles of Fed
eral knapsaoks and arms of every de-
scription now strewed the way. Just
before dark. we could see far ahead on
the rood which is vorS straight, the
bursting of shells thrown from FEEDER
al batteries on our right. These
shells, though coming at an angle,
struck with great accuracy, bursting
within a fow. yards. Of the road and
scattering it's deadly fragments around.
Night camc on. Our Brigade was
fronted and advanced to the right Of
the road. Howard's corps had been
routed aud driven in, but we were
now close on the main body Of the
Federal army. Soon q firing Of small
arms sprang up incur front, and di-
rectly the Federal batteries opened
furiously bearing directly upon us.
The scene was terrible beyond descrip-
tion. The roar Of artillery and mus.
kerry, the fierce cheers of the Confed-
crates and loud hnzzas Of the FEEDER
'