The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1904-08-17

"A mCmDcr OF the ola nlTQ COutn
Carolina regiment has been jotting
down lately from memory and from
memoranda some incidents of the try
ing days Of the sixties in the war be-
tween the States and permits the
cwberry Observer to print them.
They will be found entertaining by
the veterans Of the war, by their De,
scendants and by all who like to read
of deeds of heroism.
Camp near Gordonvillc, Va, May
4th, 1864. 1st Brigade, 1st Divi-
sion, lst Army Corps, Northern Iir-
ayinia.
Longstreet corps had spent the
winter Of lSG3.Gl in Fast Tennessee,
and about April 1st came to Gordon,
ville, Va, and camped to await orders
tfrom Gen. Lee. May 18th We received
orders to pack up and get ready to
move. Grant had commenced his
Cnarcf to Richmond by way of the
Wilderness.
Gen. Lee had sent orders to Cen.
Longstreet to bring his corps up to his
support. So On the evening OF May
-Ath we started in the direction OF the
Wilderness, marching till night, going
Kuto camp with instructions to be
weady to move at daylightin in the morn
ing. Next dsy we pressed in forced
march all day. Late in the evening
we could see signs of the fight that
dad been going on that day; saw q
wounded horse and some cavalrymen
who reported fighting at the front.
We were not near enough to hear the
rattle Of email arms, and no artil-
lery could be used in the Wilder
mess.
We oamped that night with in.
.structions to be ready to move at day
aight. Before bed time courier came
TO headquarters from the front. Orders
were sent round for everybody to lie
down and get what rest he could and
BE ready to move at o'clock in tho
anoruing. Soon everybody but the
scamp guards were asleep, resting for
the work that was before US to- NOR
wow. Away in the night, about mid
might, could be heard the clatter of
THE hoofs of single horse coming in
"a gallop. Soon we heard the chal-
aengings from the guard to halt, and
IN few minutes the bugle sounded to
pack up. By the time we were
through packing the long roll was
Beat.
Did you ever hear the long roll?
df you have not, let me describe the
feelings Of soldier when he hears
the long roll before battle. There
as strange feeling that begins to tug
aud jerk at his knees and creeping
sensation like something crawling up
his back to the back Of his head, and
It will push his hat up. His mind
will take him back to his old home,
6or he knows then that he is not only
listening to the long roll, but it may
0e his last roll-as it proved to be
dzlat day to great many. By two
o'clock We were in ranks on the way
to the Wilderness, where Grant had
been prsssing Lee hard all day of the
Stk. In the morning of the 9Th, just
@t daylight, re reached the Wilder
mess. AS soon as it was light enough
we could see to our right more troops
going in the same direction as we
aWere-supposed to be Humphreys and
Wolf ord's brigades, part of our divi-
sion, who fought on our right that
rnorning. Our, that is Kersh,w's
brigade was in front, followed by
Bryant's brigade.
Just as the sun began to show over
the tree tops we passed Gen. Lees
wagon train.
From early daylight the firing was
terrific in front of US. We soon began
to meet the wounded coming back.
lAAhag our line Of march, from the
sime'Sve could hes, the firing, the men
began ITO throw away their cards and
ohuak bczes-they did not want to
carry Them IN battle. This was our
drst battle after the winter and these
had furnished our ,pastime games.
AZ we passed up the plank road
g ems ANerdhaw and Longstreet, with
thsE stSSss were riding in our front.
Gen. Lee was by the roadside. AS he
agnt Gen. Longstreet met they had
short talk. Longstreet gave Gen.
Kershaw some orders, and the oer-
anaud was given to US to prepare for