The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1905-07-19
AT CHARLOTTESVILLE
Ihree Insta uces Of Conspicuous bravery
It 1T Mocked at Death
From The Augusta Chronicle.

I fighting qualities Of these men. 1t
was at this point in the battle that
we lost the lamented Lieut.. Edwin G..
Du}ose. But Of Col. Edwards.
The four regiments, lst, Orr's, 18th
and 18th having fallen back to the
log works-and the enemy bearing
down heavily upon them, Col. Ed
wards, who was then in command of
the brigade, (Gcn. MEG owan being
wounded realizing that extraordinary
effort must be made to bring the per.
slstent foe to a halt, with presence
of mind and courage that showed
him to be man fitted for great emer-
gences, gave the command: "Fire BY
battallons, the regiments alternating
as he called out to them. Several
volleys were fired in this manner. but
no substantial results secured until
the arrival Of the old Stonewall bri.
gadc as relnforcements, when the en-
emy fell back to the left of the Re-
dams. 1t was in this action that Col.
Edwards received his death wound.
During Col. Edwards short career as
a soldier regarded him the very
incarnation of courage, And never
mention his name without feeling
Of sadness that he could not have
lived and displayed to the end tho
example Of his marvellous cool-head- :
edneas and ds"Htloss apirit. / know
OF other occasions when his sterling
qualities were more than ordinarily
conspicuous, but this one instance
will do for this place. l am not
aware OF any c.her time during the
var where the command "Fire by
battalions" was given under such cir
cumstaEces al have related, that is
IN the midst of actual hostilities. 1t
is 30 exceptional, 80 illustrative Of
Col. Edwards presence of mind, that
no sketch of his life would be COM
plste without it.. The other instance
OF ooolness was that Of mounted off :
Ger, whose name and rank have never
beon able to learn. He took his posi-
tlon about thirty yards to tie rear of
the works, and about fifty yards to the
right OF where my company was post
cd. Amidst the furious shower Of
bullets that came from the enemy he
looked on as complacently as if he
were viewing an ordinary exhibition
OF fireworks. We were driven back
from the log works, and l did not sec
him again.
In narrating incidents that occur
under such exciting conditions as a
battle one can tell only what trans
piree Immediately under his own eye
or within his hearing. and even he
must be careful lest his Imagination
give such coloring to his statement as
to suggest some doubt of it's correct
ness. have seen official reports that
did not tell the story of battle as
it should have been told. Where is
the Official report, or historical ao-
count, that has done justice to Mo-
Gowan's brigade at Gettysburg, in its
brilliant charge against Reynolds the
first day?
Who was there and heard them that
can ever forget the words Of Gen. Alb
ner Perrin to The brigade? "Men,"
said he: "the order is to move for.
ward. You will go to the brow of the
hill just in front of US. If you see
that Heth (whose division led the at.
taok) does not need you, protect
yourselves the best you can under the
hill. But if Heth should need you 20
to his assistapoe at once without wait
ing for orders. Don't fire your guns,
give them the bayonet. If they run
then see if they will outruu the bull.
let." And the gallant Heth did need
US, and with what rush we passed
directly through his line, to the cry OF
his men of "Go in South Cardinal"
right up and into the teeth Of Rsy-
nold's men, sweeping them from
the face of Seminary Ridge. This
charge was so sudden and go suocess-
fal that many Of the enemy could not
get away and sought shelter in the
College buildings. The late F. H.
Reilly, of my old company, who died
few years ago in Greenville, S. c.,
and whose memory I shall revere
while life lasts as one of the bravest
men aud best soldiers I have ever
known, made capture. by himself in
one Of the rooms Of twolve or fifteen
OF the "blue coats.' I can now hear
the clarion voice of the fearless Me-
Creary calling out for volunteers to
enter the streets of Gettysburg, and