The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1905-04-07
"REMINISCENCES or THE
WAR BETWEEN THE
STATES.
History, Savings and Do
mgS of Company H.
18th Regiment, South
Carolina Volunteers.
BY W.. H. H. BEVIL,

A1tcr stopped at ID. o. Learys,
the regiment went on by Culpepper
to Gordonvillc, thence to Freder-
lcksburg, and before the famous
battle on the 18th of December 1862
Gen. Drayton's brigade which con-
sisted of Gcorgians and South Car
ollnians was broken up, and the 18th
was assigned to Gen. J. B. Kersbaw.
his brigade consisted of the End.
3rd, 7th, Sth, 18th regiments and
James battalion. Mr.. Leary took
the Richmond paper, and l read
about the Fredericksburg battle.
The mountains up there where 1
was at, was full of descrters from
both armies, North and South, and
conscript officers was busy hunting
them up and catching some and
sending them back, and having
fights with others, but they did not
trouble Yankee dcscrtcr they let
him alone, so he might keep out of
his army.
When | got able to travel went
to the company about the 1st of
January 1868. They were then near
Hamilton crossing some six or seven
miles from fredericksburg. A few
days later we went into winter
quarters, the weather being very
cold, but one company of the 18th
would go on picket duty at Fred
cricksburg every day more or less.
Company III. went one morning, it
was showing and when we got there
it was about six inches deep. We
secured house, a large 2 story
brick building near the river for
our quarters, and kept look out
on the river, the Yankees were on
the opposite side. During that day
the house caught on fire and burn
ed up, and we had to look for an
other place, finally securing house
on Main street near the end of the
rock wall which the 18th was be-
hind in the time of the battle.
There was plank fence in the
back yard, and we had to have
something to build a fire with, SO
we tore down the fence and broke
it so we could get it into the fire.
place and we had fire. Meanwhile
the owner of the property, came in
cursing and ah,,s;,," orrrr 1uIIIwUOd,
Ed Palmer and Bill Cudd were about
to kill him. j. M. Condry, of Co.
H., ordered him to get out, which
he very reluctantly did. We re-
manned there until next morning,
relieving our pickets at intervals,
then we were relieved, and went
back to our winter quarters. There
was good deal of snow that win
ter and we had lot of fun snow
balling whole company and regi-
ment against one another. We
stayed there until the latter part of
March when we went to another
place about mile and q half or
two miles.
| About the first of May General
Hooker moved his army up the
Rappahanock river and crossed over
and came as far as charlottesville.
Our camp was broken up, we left
in a hurry, I left camp kettle on
the fire cooking some lye hominy,
We reached charlottesville that
evening, late pickets had been fight
ing nearly all day, that was on the
2nd day of May, we slept in the
edge of piece of woods, and the
officers including Gen. Lee held a
consultation, we threw out pickcts
by companys to hold Hooker in
check until Gen. Jackson could get
in the rear. Night came on and
soldiers were passing us until quite a
late hour. The next morning about
sun-rise a signal gun was fired, and
Jackson gave the command to open
fire on Hooker's rear, Jackson him
self being wounded that morning,
lSunday, May 3rd.
We then got orders to advance,
and it was with difficulty that we
could advance in order on account
of the shrubbery, but when we got
out into the open space in front of
their breastworks, which they had
thrown up during the night, we
saw them retreating back i'll a hur-
ry We then went on as far as their
breastworks and stopped in the
road. The Chance] e]lcrville House
which was two-story brick build
ing was then burning up with SO
YANKEES and two Rebels in it. At
that time Gen. Segwick had crossed
over the Rappahanock at Freder-
icksburg and coming in our rear,
but Gen. Farley was holding him in
check. The 18th then got orders
to go and meet him. We met him