The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-02-11

Thus matters stood; VT with on
shotguns listening to the music o
the shells, and the Yankees having
perfect picnic in the way of targe
practice, We being the target.
Finally, becoming cmbo'dened b,
our continued silence, tie sharp
shooters from the infantry crept down
to the edge of the woods and, con
cealing themselves in the underbrush
began to pick at Us with their rifles
and the whiz of their bullets wa'
getting to be uncomfortabIy close Il
our heads. Col Law,on, noticing
tins, directed his adjntant to carry ;
verbal order to the ma jor to send ,
squadrou-two companles-to charge
those sharp shooters, drive them back
and return TO the command. The
adjutant, in MS excitement, mlsun'
derstood the order and, riding up tc
the major, he said, "rhe Colonel or,
ders that you send squadron OF
men to charge that line of battle, re,
form the meu and charge back" The
order was delivered to Capt. Dunlop
to execute. | happened to be hear
him ut the time. | saw him straight.
en- himself to his full hight in the
saddle. / saw the fire Of battle kin
die in his eye / saw him draw his
his sabre and turning to his men he
sand, Forward boys"
"sCharge!" was the Captains cry;
Theirs not to reason why.
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs but to do or die"
Riding down the sharp.shooters,
clearing the woods. out in the open
field they were met by tempest of
grape and canister from the artillery
and of mlnie balls from the infantry.
Many gallant rider and his horse
went down under the storm of shot
and shell. But nothing could stay
the headlong course of the fearless
leader. Passing between the battery
and the infantry he sabred one, gun
ner, drove them all from their guns,
and caused the whole line of Infantry
next the artillery to waver. Had
this gallant charge been followed im-
medlately by that of our whole COM
mand We undoubtedly would have
won the day at tnaL moment. But
it was not done. Capt. Dunlop dash
ed on after cutting through the line
of battle to their rear, and when ont
of range of their shot halted to see
who were left Of his command. Sew
en- men had followed him through
and were all that were left. Turn
ing to them he said with grim hui
NOR, "Boys, the command was to re-
form and charge back" One Of the
men replied, "WelI, Captain, we have
followed you this far. but if you are
going back through that line of bat
tle>you will havr to so by yourself.
We have had enongh of it, Or
course he had 10 thought OF DONG
so. lie was only putting his men to
the ;est Riding around their line
and ont of range of their shot, the
heroic little band rejoined their com
mander.
1t is not my intention to continue
the history of the battle. My only
nurp Sc was to recount the most des-
perate charge | ever witnessed dur:
ing my four years experience in the
war. Sufficient to say that by sun
down We had captured the whole
foece of the enemy. The boys threw
away their shotguns, replacing them
with improved arms. The battery
we kept till the war closed and good
service'it did against its former own
ers.~ That night We started back for
McMinnville, halting only long
enough to parole our prisoners, with
whom Forrest did not wish to be bur-
dened. We reached our camp at Nc
Minnville about noon on Monday,