The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-08-12
Editor Of The Atlanta Journal:

led from Southern Recorder pub
lished in Milledgcville, Ca, Dcccm-
Der 80, 1862:
Near Battle Ground at Hamilton s
Crossing, Dec. II, 1862.
Since the close of my letter ycstcr.
day the. battle has been raging ficrccly
and furiously along line of six miles,
reaching from point just about Fal-
mouth along the river as far down as
Pratt's.
The ball opened on our left with ar
tillcry about $3.50 a. m, and was carried
on with heavy guns until about 1870,
when the infantry first went into ac-
tion on our right. Then it was that
for hours the combat ragged with an
intensity at least equal to, if not great.
er. than anything that has occurred
during the war.
Your correspondents were on the
right, and OF course can speak with
more accuracy in regard to the fight
ing on that wing than on the left.
Jackson sustained by a. =. Hill.
bore the bruut Of the battle, and no
bly, did they sustain themselves. The
Yankees fought we'll but were repeat
edly driven back. At one time it was
said they had been forced back to the
extent of ono and half miles.
Our line of battle extended along
the railroad track, whilst that Of the
enemy was formed on the country
eroas running parallel with the river.
VI. they have the benefit in case Of
L.l.g forced back, Of the natural forti-
ficatons which the ditching, for the
purpose Of drainage, on either side Of
the road, will give them. It may be
asked why were they allowed this ad-
vantage? The answer must be that
the enemy's gLns from the north side
Of the river commanded this position
and that the position chosen by our
generals was for defensive operations,
far superior, being all along On the
rise Of gentle slopes, skirtcd By the
woods. The troops Of the enemy on
this wing were mostly old ones, being
Meade Pennsylvania Reserves, aud
Stoneman's corps, under the immc-
diato command Of General Reynolds.
The prisoners captured by our men,
somo $50 in number, said that Burn
side commanded in person.
We have some seven Yankee COM
missioned officers. The prisoners
seemed by no means dissatisfied at be-
ing taken.
The victory was much more i'm
portant than was at first generally be.
lieved.
A gentleman who spent last night
at General Lees headquarters, in
forms me- the generali is highly pleased
with the result Of the battle, and says
that our troops behaved. nobly and
bore down the enemy at all points.
: | shall now attempt to supply some
OF the deficiencies in my last.
The abolition troops beaten by our
right wing on yesterday, were Eight
ing Joe Hooker'e,'' supported by
Franklin's corps, and numbered thirty
thousand men. We had fourteen
Thousand men in the fight on the right.
The enemy during most Of the day
fought as we'll as they have ever done,
but about four o'clock p. IN. lost heart
and gave way on all quarters.
1t was then that franklin men
were brought into action, and were al
80 repulsed. Walker artillery. which
l haye already mentioned as stationed
in the open plain on our extremeright
70 the east Of Hamilton crossing,
was late in the day reinforced by the
Second Howitzers. The Thomas ar
tillery and several other batteries drove
she enemy's batteries. posted higher
up the valley, from all their positions
,and shatte- d his columns of infantry
with an enilading FIRE. The enemy's
batteries at this point were strongly
posted behind road orossirs the val
ley, and fred through gaps cut in
brush fence.
Behind the same fence the Yankee
sharpshooters kept up an incessaat
and deadly FIRE ON our batteries. The
enemy vas not dislodged from this
position until we opened on them at
two hundred yards distance with grape
and canister. Having routed these
our artillery opened on OH
ers more distant. After his infantry
had been repulsed the enemy's artil-
lery, ceased firing. During the en-
kykgement our artillery ip the valley
q TO- -