Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-09-13
AFTER FORTY YEARS.
How Old Confederate Veterans Were
Received at Manassas.

week published a letter from Mr.. p.
A. McDavid, survivor Of the Fourth
South Carolina regiment, c. S. A., who
went to the third Manassas in the
hospital corps with the First South
Carolina. He writes:
After forty-three years I am tent
ing again on the old camp ground.
We reached our camp last night and
had to pitch our tents after dark, so
we were all very tired, but got good
nights rest.
"This morning Captain Beatty Smith
from Glover, York county, who was in
the Sharp Shooters, Jenkins brigade
and myself hired a hack and took in
the points where we fought forty-two
and forty-three years ago. We first
went to the Henry house, where the
hardest fighting was done during the
first battle.
"All the different points are marked
where Wade Hampton was wounded
right at this house, and where Bee
and Barlow fell and where Gen. Bee,
just before he fell gave Jackson the
immortal name of 'Stonewall.'
From there we drove to the stone
house, thence to see Mrs. Dogan. who
great deal Of information about the
position of the different commands In
action. We did this In order to locate
the lines of the second battle. After
trying in vain to locate our position.
Jenkins brigade. we drove to Stone
bridge, where the Fourth South Car
olina received its first taste of real
war. I saw the spot where the first
man in the battle was killed, A. D..
Brown of our company, and where
Wilton Earle was mortally wounded,
also where Adjutant Wilkes was kill
ed.
Captain Smith was not interested
in the position Of the first battle. so
I yielded to him, and we drove back to
the field of the second battle, where
we dismissed the hack and took it
afoot. After wandering for hours
found at last just what We wanted,
the place where Hoods brigade fought
the Fifth New York Zouaves, which I
witnessed from my position. From
that point We went to the very spot
where Jenkins brigade made a grand
charge and the Second Rifles sustain
ed the greatest loss. I carried the
colors through it all and am alive to
view the place where so many brave
men fell. I found this printed on
large board to mark the spot:
Here the Fifth New York Zouaves
lost 136 killed, 2OS wounded and miss
ing and never accounted for: total,
351 out of 1852 taken into action. This
loss was inflicted inside of seven min
utes in resisting Hoods brigade. Long
streets charge. Largest loss on rec
ord. August 30. 1852
Captain Smith was In the Palmetto
Sharp Shooters and knew the spot
where the five brave men were killed
and of that number the three sons OF
Methodist preachers. I cut two sticks
close to the spot. I hope / VIII not
lose them, for I know they are from
the very spot, or within few feet of
it.
1--WE have been out all day. Carried
some hardtack for lunch, and now
am writing this by the light of a can
dle and you can imagine how hard 1t
Is on my eyes. We have orders to
leave here at four thirty In the morn
ing to march to Thoroughfare Gap,
fifteen miles away, to attack the
brown army. I thought I would get
out of that tramp, but I have orders
to 60 with them to assist in taking
care Of the 'wounded.'> Being under
military discipline, l suppose l must
go.
81 was very sick all day Sunday and
when we reached camp I was In bad
shape, but the boys fixed me to bed
on a nice cot and tucked the cover
around me like I was child. slept
well and was able to make todays
tramp of ten miles or more.
L have just received a copy Of the
Greenvile News in which young Jenk-
ms gives me q grand send off. was
never an officer in the Palmetto Rifle
men, however, I was a private In that
company nor was that company In
Colonel Bowen's regiment. Company
/, Second Rifles Colonel Bowen, Is the
correction.
"Everything looks natural around
here, Camps are in every direction.
and It looks like war in earnest.
Everything is carried on in grand style.
Even the water in the springs and
we'll has been analysed and marked
either good or bad, and neither man nor
beast is allowed to use the condemn
ed. So far as the government employ
es are concerned, telephones, telegraph
signal corps, rockets, ETC., place all
points in instant communication. IL
is perfect in that respect and the
manpuvers this week will be grand.
Captain Smith and myself receive
q great deal of attention from the
northern troops, especially the Four
teenth New York. Some of the oftic-
ers of that regiment were In the two
battles. and when we go near them
each company turns out and gives
three cheers for the old Confederate
veterans. The Fourteenth New York
Is in our brigade and Is fine body or
men. The ladies, too, are good to us.
They ask us to come and dine with
them and want us to tell them all
about the war and what we killed
each other for, etc.
II enjoy 1t all in a sad way, for