The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1907-05-10
| AN OLD LETTER
Written from the Front in 18q
Description of Battle by PaH
ticipant and Eye Witnessl
Aug. Sth, 1S6l
<he6' -
Camp at Niena, Va.

ful heart on Yesterday. IL lI4WavNf
affords me great pfeaSS1e to heaF
from home, and what grieves my
most is | don't hear often enough,i
You stated that you wished me T.
give you detailed account of thd
late battles. | shall proceed to do
so in brief manner, although no
doubt you have heard as much or
more concerning the battles as u
have. Yet what | have to say is.
certainly true: and may he reliea
on as being authentic. III
On the morning of the 18th oAi
July l arose from my tent (afte1
having enjoyed a good nights sleep
surprised to see wagon and horses
standing in our street ready to re-
lEeei|es- s-esrr> baggage, upon making\
proper inquiries, found that wS1
wereysexpecting an attack from thes
enemy, which information did nots
Tr.se-.me to feel anyway uneasy
from the fact that we had had sew
eral false alarms before, and we had
slept on our arms a good many,
nights previous i'll expectation of pn |
attack. !
Time wore along, the suy<hadE
risen about two hours highwhen
suddenly the report of a folley of
musket fell on my ear. was the
advanced guard of the efemy which
had fired on KershaV pickets who
were stationed on tH Falls Church
road. The firing Sas for a twofold !
purpose. 1t wa5 done to kill the
pickets; and al6 to let the 'nemy |
know their position who vert adj
vancing on the Alexandria Roa1on
which our regiment was statlohe
Everything was ny stir as soon y
the firing was heard. All our TENS.
were struck Immediately, and put
in the wagon together with all our
camp equipage; and started OIL with
the rest of the wagons, (for each
company had one apiece to Bull
Run which we thought was done in
order to have our baggage a safe
distance from the enemy in case we
were defeated for we expected to
have Il fight in u few minutes, aS
the Yankees were not more than q
mile off at this time. So soon a:
our wagons We're all started of, we
were formed as though we were go
ing on dress parade with the cNcep
ton of it being done in more hur
sbieqs," lRst us remtnber anRb as tha What naI W
have come here to do; let us re
member where we are from: Lei
victory or death be our motto. ;
The above was all he said: ant
when ne had finished, we raised oul
hats; and gave such shout, as II,
doubt it was heard in the enemy.
ranks, we were marched off il
double quick turn to take our plac,
IN line of battle which was already
being formed some two hundred
yards from and west of the cour,
house building; and in front of the
long extended lines of the Yankee
troops which could be distinctly
seen about Il half mile off with their
bright bayoncts glittering in the
morning sun. We stood in front
OF the Yankees about Is minutes
when for some reason or other
which ! never could understand orr
position was changed. A Virginia
regiment was marched out from be-
hind a breastwork, and made to
take its place in the open field.
while We were marched from the
open field; and made to occupy the
breastwork. We hadn't more than
stationed ourselves behind the works
and / had laid my musket down ON
top OF brcastwork for a rest and
took sight along the barrel to sec if
my place was Il good one for bring
ing Yankee every shoot, for was
determined to take aim and make /
my shots tell when in lboking around
me l saw; courier coming with, -Ii,,;,s-- hi,
horse ali covered with foam andt
sweat in the direction of where G. Gensel
Bonbam stood, he delivered our
general an. order from Beauregard. /
as soon as Bonham read it, he ex. I
tended the order to the boys of his
command; and in few minutes
we were going towards Centerville
III double quick time. Here permit
me to digrcss in order to give you
the position of the opposing armies.
The enemy's army consisted of
forty-fve ttDusand (45, ,O0O) men
who were disposed of in three differ
ent columns of fifteen thousand men.
the first was to attack us on the east