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

NNNAoho" . oliSduC.
We did not go far up the plank road
till we began to form in line Of battle.
Before We all got in line the Yankees
were concealed in bushes in front.
They poured one of the most dcstruc
tive fires into kcrshaw S old brigade
that it had ever met during the war.
We were soon driven back. Bryant s
| brigade coming up to our support, we
| commenced pressing the enemy back
Woiford and Humphrey had swept
down the railroad finding nothing in
their front, swung around in rear Of
the troops that were fighting US and
charged them in tie rear as we charged
them in the front. Finding they were
fianked they fled in wild confusion,
leaving everything. We captured a
great many prisoners, who said they
knew Longstreet was coming to rein.
force Lee, and thought the whole of
Longstreets corps was in their rear.
To give you some idea of the sever
ity of the battle old Co. G.. Of the Bird
regiment, out Of 80 or 40 men, lost
nine killed and mortally wounded.
1t was in this battle that Col. Jas. D.
Nance was killed. lie had been pro-
NOTED to brigadier general, but had
not received his commission. 1t was
in this battle that j. D. Smith lost
his arm, A. j. Livingston lost his leg;
Warren Peterson was crippled for life;
l. H. Boulware lost his arm, and Ham
Fellers lost his arm. For num-
bers engaged the 3rd regiment
had the heaviest loss in killed
and wounded it ever had from
one battle. That battle has left its
mark in Newbcrry County that can be
seen to-day.
The order of the troops as we reach
ed the field that morning was as fol-
lows:
McGowan's brigade was on the left
OF the plank road at right angles with
the road; on the right of the road was
Scales North Carolina brigade. These
troops had been fighting all the day
before and were still engaged when we
came up. McGowan's old brigade, on
the left Of the road, was holding its
ground, but the North Carolinians on
the right of the road gave way just
before we got to them and came back
through our ranks. They cheered US
as they passed, but would not turn
back and go with us. We were thrown
into the breach whore shey had left.
We did not know where the enemy
were and ran right into them before
we knew we were near them-they
were concealed by the dense under.
growth. We were within 10 or Is
steps of them when they fred into us.
We did not FIRE more than TWO rounda
before we fell back probably 40 yards.
They did not come farther than where
our line was when they first fred into
US. 1t was at this critical moment
that Brayant's brigade came to our
support. We raised yell-thas old
"Rebel yell" that had been heard by
the Yanks on 80 many battle fields
before They knew We were coming
Humphreys and IYofford's brigades
charging with yell at the same time.
The Federals did not stand to argue;
they left us the battlefield with all
their dead and wounded in our hands,
with Great many prisoners, who Just
lay stal and let US take them.
The most Of our men we're killed
and wounded at the first volley. Gen.
hershaw was shot through the breast
pocket of his coat, the bulie. passing
through likeness of his wife. Gems.
Longstreet and jenkins rode out in
front, and as they came back in front
Of Gen. Jenkins men they were mis-
taken for Yankces-they fired on them,
killing Gen. jenkins and wounding
Gen. Longstreet.
The night after this battle Co. c.
that was my old company--had Is
men for roll call. got permission
to 60 back to the field infirmary to see
a brother who was wounded that day.
1t was an awful sight. 1t seemed
that nearly all my old regiment we're
there wounded.
Grant had been defeated aud driven
back on nearly the some battlefield
where '"Fighting" Joe Hooker, had
been defeated two years before, and
ne would have met the same fate il
Gen. Lee had had an army sufficient
to follow up the victory he had won.
Twill venture to say if Gen. Grant
and Gen. Lee had met two years soon.