The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1904-12-21


ion, a., busiy engaged in building
Hir,c quarters. The weather was cx
>veMcly cold, will the biting wind
loN ing down from the north aud Il
PORTION Of the time the ground was
;ove-cI with six or ejrht inches Of
snow. Our double pen hut4 were
1ui.t # oak poles and covered with
Joari,, with a chimney at each end
and partition in the middle, eight
zen occupying each room. They
vcrc completed the latter Of January
aad proved to be quite warm and com
Portable CON mparcd to sleeping on the
ground in tents. The mud, rain and
5uow with the biting cold wind had
lie army housed up with nothing to
10 iut cut wood and make fires. AZ
-cr Che fall of Fort Sumter. S. G., in
April. 1851, President Lincoln called
f-or l3,UGC volunteers to put down the
.r-ctcl.ion, aud after General SCOTS
aud McDowc.rs disastrous defeat at
Bull Hun, a., on the ~ day Of July,
81, called for 300, 900 more. The
cc0eral defeat at Bull Run fired the
hearts of the northern people and vol
;.ntccrs BY the thousand rallied around
Che flag in deicnsr rf the union. a
.arCe army was concentrated around
Washington and was thoroughly drill
a.. armed and equipped under tho
command of cne Of their most distin-
eyuiahed generals, George B. McClcl-
Ian. BY the first Of March, 1862
General Mcclellan had one Of the
.arsesl and best equipped armies
narsEcled together during the civil
Ko. consisting OF 200, 900 men of all
ycrn!s. Then. the order was 'On to
Richmond, the capital Of thc Confed-
,racy.' Mcclellan transported his
7ast army, except 80, 900 left at Fred
erick sburg, down the Potomac and up
he James, landing on the peninsula
.ormrd by tho York and James rivers.
/: n the meantime Johnston s army left
winter quarters on the Sth day of
"1arch and marched to Orange court
house, thence to Richmond by rail, ,
aud from there down the James river
On boats, landing in the vicinity of
Orktown on the York river about the
:niddle Of April, where General j. B.
hlagrudcr in command Of several thou
sand troops, had constructed line Of
Dreastworks from Yorktown along the
Warwick Creek to the James, both
rivers being commanded by heavy
aand batteries. At proper intervals
along the creek dams were built 80 as
20 overflow the swamp and mako it
more difficult for the enemy to assault
our works. Dam No l, held by
Ioombs and Anderson's brigadca was
n holy terror, made so by the federal
sharp shooters beyond the stream
Ehe entire line Of works was held day
and night by heavy lines of battle and
relieved every "a hours.
There were many false alarms at
night commencing on the James and
flashing over the line to Yorktown,
tnc '-oar Of muskctry resembling a
general engagement. The enemy
would remain quiet with the exception
Of few shells to let US know they
werc not all asleep. 1t did not take
General Johnston long to discover that
his position was untenable, as the
enemy could by silcncing his river
batteries pass up stream and cut him
of from Richmond.
Before day on the .l,h of May he
withdrew his army from the line of
works and started on retreat to Rich
.nond. At Williamsburg, in the af-
ternoon, q heavy engagement took
place between Longstrcet's forces and
the vanguard of the Federal army,
which lasted until after night, when
the Confcderates continued to retreat
No doubt many of the old boys have q
vivid recollection of that nights
march with the axlcs of the artillery
skimming the top Of the road through
the mad.
&c he 9th Federal fvrce landed
at West Point, on the York river, to
intercept Johnston retreat, but was
defeated in short order. From there
on to Richmond the troops marched
ct leisure, the enemy seemed content
so follow in our wake.
On the II Of May ahc enemy reach
ed Richmond, and line Of battle was
formed miles north Of the city.
General Mcclellan arrived soon after
aud formed his line in front of the
Confederates, extending fsom White