The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-02-11
DJNLoP'S DESPERATE CHARGE.
HSROlSM OF A RESBYTERiAN
MINISTER MURfRE :SBORO.
How the Blunder of the Adjutant
Caused Ore Of the Most Daring
Charges During the War.

Charges During the War.
The recent death Of the yea lou:
Presbyterian minister. the Rev. >. T.
Dunlap, of Georgetown, recalls hls
splendid service as a colonel In The
Confederate army. The following
tribute by II. II. Hoyt appeared III
the Southern Presbyterian:
in the summer of 1862 Confed
crate cavalry force. consisting OF four
or FIVE regiments, was encamped at
McMinnville, Tenn Forrest, after
wards general, but at that time rank
lug only as u colonel, was IN com
mand of the brigade. The I'd Geor
gia regiment, commanded by Col ".
J. Lawton, was part of this force.
In it was company commanded by
Rev. J. f. Dunlop, Presbyterian
minister, who had resigned the charge
of his church in cambridge, Ga, TO
buckle on the sword, and had been
elected captain VI a cavalry company
which he had been Instrumental IN
raising and to whom his men were
perfectly devoted.
At Murfreesboro was a force of
Yankees, consisting of cavalry, artil-
lery and infantry; and considerably
outnumbering the Confederates. Col.
Forrest decided to surprise and cap
tare the Yankees and thus get sup
plies and arms for his men, many OF
whom had at that time nothing more
effective than double barrel shotguns.
Accordingly We broke camp one Sat
urday and, after marching all night,
reached Murfreesboro Sunday morn
ing Just at the dawn of day. The
Yankee pickets were captured with
out giving an alarm and our foe, all
unconscious of danger, was quietly
sic, ping. They were in two camps,
one on the opposite side of the town
from our approach and the other to
the right rs We entered. The gallant
Wharton, with the Texas Rangers.
with part of the command, was Or
dered to attack the one on the oppo'
site side of the town. v harton's at
tack was u complete surprine 10 the
enemy. Without warning he and
his Rangers burst into the sleeping
camp, yelling aad shooting, drove
out the terrified Yankees, aud for
while held possession of the camp
Afterwards, seeing the small force OF
the assailants, the Yankees rallied,
and after stubborn fight, IN which
Wharton was wounded, they regalned
possession of the camp. The part
under Forrest, in which was .he "a
Georgia, were not SO successful. The
nbise of the horses feet striking up
4 the ground as we charged through
the town awoke the sleeping mhah
itauts, who rushed out to greet us,
wildly shouting and cheering, and IN
their enthusiasm raising such din
as to reach the ears of the sleeping
camp short distance out of town.
Then, too. another unexpected dlfh-
Guilty arose. In the centre OF the
town, directly fronting the street UP
which we were charging, stood the
brick court house. In this was a
Yankee guard, keeping watch over
some prisoners. As soon as the head
of our column came III sight this
guard opened fire upon us out OF the
windows of the court house. This
unexpected attack delayed Forrest
and frustrated his plan of surprising
the camp beyond. When we got
there, Instead Of taking them by sur
prise, we found them drawing up In
line of battle on the crest of a slope
in an old fe d, having a splendid
battery of six guns and long line
of infantry supporting it. We were
the party surprised. Under this
der this unlocked for condition OF
things Forrest ordered Col. Lawton
to draw up his lines in a piece OF
woods which sheltered US to some ex-