The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1905-08-09


Crater, near Petersburg Va, July
80, 1864, [ have waited to see if some
one better qualified to describe the
scenes enacted there on that dreadful
aud pever-to- -be-forgottcn day, but
having waited in vain, I concluded to
cry in my feeble way to tell of some
of the soul trying experiences of that
day. also to give one of the closest
calls | had during my entire period Of
service.
"a begin with, the command to
which belonged. Wrisht's Georgia
brigade, had about the 10Th or 1lth
of July, 1864, been ordered to take
position on the breastworks, where
che Jerusalem plank road crossed the
works, nearly, or quite, south Of
Peter sburg, and afterwards was moved
II kI,e farther to the right and across
che read, and then still farther to the
right 1ntil we were about one mile
FROM the above mentioned road.
AS remember, Wilcox's Alabama
brigade, commanded by General Saun
siers, vas on our left, Mahones bri-
gsde on our right. These three bri-
gsdes, Mahone's, Wrights and VIII
coE's, we're the ones detailed to re-
capture tht works.
Wright's brigade had no general
officer in command, but one of the
c~!anels, I forget which, was in
command. We were ordered up
about 2 o'clock that morning and
placed in position behind the works,
gust few steps in front of where we
were lying under our bush arbors, and
after being there some time most Of
us had slipped back to our arbors to
snatch another snoozo, when just
after daybreak we were rudely arous-
ed from our peaceful slumbers by q
horrible trembling of the earth, follow
ed by most terrific explosion, and
then by one of the heaviest discharges
of artillery and musketry ever heard.
We could see between US and the light
'of the eastern sky the smoke of shells
as they hurtled through the air or
burst in mid air, and it seemed .o us
the air was alive with them, while
the huzzahs and yells of the combat
auts, combined with the other hor-
uible sounds, seemed as if hell had
torn loose sure enough. And right
we'll we knew terrible and sanguinary
eouaict was going on and We expected
every moment to be ordered into the
midst Of it.
After waiting nearly two hours, we
had orders to fall in, left face, AMI
forward. We were rushed over hill
aud vale, with shells screaming over
mead and an occasional bullet whist
ling by, and above all the roar the
command, "close up, men," Finally
eve reaohed the Petersburg ice houses
directly in the rear and about one half
enile from the crater, where wo halted
60 let the rear catch up. Then for
ward again, up zig.zag path cut
Vound the hill and toward the front,
!with the wounded fling out, some on
stretchers, some walking, some lean
log on sticks or guns improvised as
esrutches; others being carried in blan-
&ete by four comrades, and all unit
Sug in telling US boys cts the worst
place you ever saw. You'll never be
able to retake it,
The groans and cries of agony, and
che sufferiDgs of these poor fellows we
we're obliged to pass, was enough to
aieken the hearts Of the bravest among
us. When we got, to the top of the
dill where we could peep over the
ditch and see the works, all We had
Eeasd seemed verified, for tho cap.
hured works were bristling with bat
Tie Hags and from the number indi-
Gated strong force, but nothing
aaanted, on we pushed. About this
tine Mahone's brigade, which was in
sront'os us, was ordered to charge, aud
right ,gallsntly did they respond, and
atshough met by withering FIRE from
the bitches as we'll as from the YAM
Aee breastworks about 100 yards away,
Ehey precipitated themselves on the
Eos with such determined rush that
ehey were in the bitches before the
euemy were aware of it, and captured
saendreds Of prisoners and made them
selves masters of about one.half of
the captured works in few min
Esxes.xi
4aaW. set me say right here that was
sne Of the most brilliant charges made
during the war and against much
greater odds than are often given in
htstory. Our regiment, the Sixty