The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-03-20
Mav 10, 1864.


about 3-4 of mile farther to the
right and near to Spottsylvania, with
Wofford IS brigade Of our division on
our right. resting on A. ?. Hills left.
A. p. Hill's corps reached from our
left for some distance past Spottsyl-
vania.
As we came up to the place we
were to take, We had to wait for the
troops that were there to move farth-
er to the right. The enemy found out
that we were moving about. and began
TO shell the pines. We we're back IN
the pines behind the lines. The shells
would pass over the works and come
back and burst over us, which made 1t
mighty unpleasant while we stayed
there. Young Franklin, one OF the
litter bearers, says, he was trying to
dig himself hole to get IN, ne had
rust passed his shovel over to another
man and was resting when he saw
i've shell come rolling towards him,
spitting fire. He lay fat and waited
for that shell to burst until he could
stand it no longer, so he made dive
for the hole and went IN head tore
most ON the man, knocking him over.
He said the fellow talked mighty sau-
ev. but he had no time to argue, but
strange to say, that shell never burst
ed. AS we marched up to the works.
we had to wait little. There was
little fellow who lost control OF his
nerves las Doe Spence says,( and ne
iumped into rife pit full Of water
and sank himself in the water. Some
Of the boys called to him to come OUT
but he could stand the water better
than he could the shells. Just as we
cot into position behind the works, a
Shell passed through and tore of
mans shoulder. His brother came to
help him, and while bending over him.
another shell passed through the
works. almost at the same place, ana
cut off his head, he fell on his brother
and in few minutes both were dead.
think their name was Woford. This
shelling and sharp shooting was Kept
ap all the time through the 10th and
11th.
While here, the yankee sharpshoot-
ers on the night Of the 10th, when
was a very dark, rainy night with
strong northeast " ind blowing came
nm rerv cloco to crr picket line, and
due ,ihe pits: large enough for one
man to lie in with box full OF dlrt
set up on rocks that would hold the
box up just high enough Tor them as
they lay in the pits to poke their
puns under. They could see every
move we made after daylight ana IL
anv man showed his head above tne
works if he did not move quick Woulo
catch bullet. I was out on the VI
aette line the night they came ana
duo the pits. I. don't think 1t was
more than thirty steps from where l
ctood 2 Yankee came and dug a PIT
snd next morning at day he was IN 1t
ready for business He must have
dome his work at night while 1t was
~a;n;ng 50 hard, for it was so close
could have heard him. All the next
dav they kept us down behind the
so,.ts so close that we could not see
what was going on in front. They an
moved our artilleries so that 'hes
con1d not work their guns. There was
no occasion for us to expose ourselves
ION the 11th, as there was no ngh'ans !
along the line. There was ilttle lei
low in the third battalion whose curl
ositv was so great that he had to n see
what was going on at the FISK Oh se''
,;no shot. He had been ordered &c
stop. as he was drawing the hfe o. o,
sbarnshooters. so at last ne s'ueS
his head up and let it stay little t0c
long, and one Of the sharpsnootelS e.
shot him through the mouth, knock
mo ont some of his teeth and clipping
his tongue. He was warning TO- tne
balance of US. We were forced to of
st;l1. and naturally we would go tt
smon was lying near battery o.
fo,,r Guns, it was about the middle 0:
49, 49, evening, the sun was warm anf
nv clothes were still wet from tn
,rs+t;no had gotten the night be
fore on the picket line, and / had fal
,on asleep. The artilleries could Sc