The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1904-08-10
WAR STORIES.
Battle Of Drury'ss Bluff.

lhey came not, they had retired to
the line inside Of our first works. Had
my come on as expected, they would
have cnhladcd the second line Of the
enemy S works and saved the battalion
TO some extent from the disaster to
which 1t was subjected TO march
forward or remain without this su,,-
port was rulnons; and therefore the
order was given to retire to the first
line Of cntrcnchmcnt, which order was
executed calmly and in good order.
The left company Of the battalion un
der Capt. Clyburu, lost two third, Of
It's men. Company II, under Capt.
Brooks, was cut all 70 Iicrcs. every
officer wouried anI sixty-,cyen men
icIi dead or wounded. The rallan,
captain waS wpun,!cd IL three places.
get he continued t. care for lis ,a,n
and to riyc orders !oi thcir welfare.
Declining to use the litter, be walked
oil the field and referred the litter to
prlvatcs worse wounded than he. so
more determined stand ha, ever been
taken hy any command than that made
by the eth battalion on the morning
OF the 10Th Of May, 1864. Its loss
was probably more than any regiment
sustained in any one battle. Retired
to the trenches, the brigade soon sue
cceded in driving the enemy from their
second line Of works and the field was
won. They left their artillery and
the field covered with their dead and
wounded. We pressed them to the
river and in few days they crossed
the James and Joined Grant near
Richmond.
Now, Mr.. Editor, in conclusion,
though | dislike to indulge in person.
alitics, | wish to tell of few brave
deeds committed by brave men while
engaged in this bloody struggle. Just
before the battalion reached the first
lines OF the enemy s works, Sergt. II.
W. Phillips, of Company b, received
a ball in his shoulder that whirled
him around like top. AS he sank to
TIE ground, he said: Il am ruined,
give it to them boys" AS our line
came in contact with the wires men
toned above aud the men we're thrown
to the ground. the brave and gallant
Lieut.. Wm. a. Harvey, seeing the
situation, srrang to his feet, waving
his sword and yelling: Forward,
boys; we will take that battery or
die" Poor fellow! Just one month
later, while leading a skirmish line
against battle line Of Federals on
O'Hare's Hill, he fell to rise no more.
On reaching and occupying the enc
my's outer line Of works, Col. Nelson,
while rapidly passing along the lines,
cried out: ''Major Rion, hold these
works at all hazards" The gallant
Major replied: II will do it, sir"
AS the firing again began Major Rion
mounted the parapet, which exposed
him from the belt up. He ordered
Privates Mcdowell and Scott to load
their guns for him and he fred
them as fast as they could. They
loaded and handed up to him for
twenty minutes. He was ordered
down. by Col. Nelson. II made it hot
for their gunners, Colonel, was his re-
ply.
just as the Federal lines were civ.
ing way and their men fleeing to the
woods and our firing ceased, Private
Jacob Poteat, of Company B, leaped
upon the captured works, saying:
They are flying, boys. Let us cap
ture them or drive them to h"
just as these words passed his lips, q
ball pierced through his brain and be
fell dead at his captain feet.
When Capt. Brooks, of Company
II, had realized that his company had
oil been killed and wounded, he order
ed that all his dead men, 10 in num-
Der, he brought to him, while he yet
lay on the dusty and bloody ground,
suffering and bleeding from his own
severe wounds. He had them buried
in one grave. When the last sad duty
was performed, he arose from the
grounds. wiped the trickling tears
from his powder-blackened aud blood
stained cheeks and exclaimed: My
brave heroes! they died for their coun-
try and he left the field.
I do trust the memory Of the gallant
and noble deeds of the Confederate
soldier may live and sparkle in the
breast of generations to come. for in q
very few years there will not be one of
US to tell the tale. r H Nail