The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-08-30

! y
18th of December. 1862. The Union
army was defeated with a loss Of
about 1000 men. Our company was
in this engag cement and after the enc
my fell back across the river held the
position around Fredericksburg, un-
til sent for picket duty to Moss Neck
on the Rapahannock river, for the
J winter.
About the end Of January, 1863,
Gen. Burnside was relieved of his
command of the Yankee army and
was superseded by Gen. Jno, Hooker,
who moved his army about 20 miles
above Fredericksburg and thought by
J taking new route to Richmond to
compel Gen. Lee to fight in the open
field away from the works he had
made in the winter. This forced Gen.
Lee to move the most Of his forces
up the river to meet him, which re-
suited in the great and bloody engage
ment around Charlottesville, the hea-
West Of which was fought on the I'd
and Sd of May, '63. In these battles
we inflicted terrible loss on the Un-
ion army and Hooker was forced to
re-cross the Rappahannock on the 9th
of May. The North felt this disas-
ter very much, for Hooker's army was
nearly double that Confederates and
it was the fairest contest Of actual
powers Of tn two armies during the
war. The Union loss was over 1900
kill, wounded and missing, whilst ours
was comparatively lighter. It was in
| these battles that the famous Stone
wall Jackson was mortally wounded,
through mistake, in the darkness by
one Of his own men. No doubt many
Of you call to mind the volley that in
ficted this fearful loss on our cause.
Gen. Lee now recruited his army
from every source possible to 10000,
with the object Of carrying the war
into the enemy's country. We accord
ingly moved up the river and made
demonstration in that direction. Our
color-bearer gave me first .iotice Of
the disaster that was soon to follow
on this march when the promise Of
the beauty and booty as our watch-
word was echoed along the line. The
Union army fell back to Washington
where Gen. Meade succeeded to its
command. We crossed the Potomac
above Harper's Ferry and. pushed
north up the Cumberland valley,
which gave US the grandest battle Of
the war, that of Gettysburg, the first
three days Of July. Then we witness
ed the sacreligious and unsuccessful
charges Of our men to take the
heights the following two days. You
remember with horror the havoc and
slaughter made on our company by
one shell on their unsuccessful charge
to take the height, the terrific can
nonading the hardships incurred on
the trip. This was the first positive
downward step in the, fate Of the Con-
| federacy. Our army was repuised and
lost about 10000 men killed wound
ed and missing. The retreat was
dreadful. The attack on Gen. Heath 5
Brigade and fight around the barn,
the perilious escapes from cavalry at
tacks and ambuscades and the re-
crossing Of the Potomac at Failing
Water are incidents you are familiar
| with, and were, perhaps, the direct
and most exhaustilg Of the war.
Our army retreated up the valley
crossing the mountain and took posi-
tion on the south side Of the Rap!dan.
The northern army followed up and
confronted US on the north side. In
this situation the two armies remain
ed for the remainder of '63 without
anything of Importance to mar the
dull routine Of camp life.
In the beginning OF the campaign
of 1864. Gen. [. S. Grant was made
commander-in-chief Of all the Union
armies. He left Sherman in charge
of the western army and transferred
his headquarters to the army OF the
Potomac, and superseded Gen. Meade
in command. Until the month of May
Lees army was still guarding the
line of the Rapidan. Grants army
crossed the Rapidan on May 9TH, and
w. tho h}lOrO