The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1908-08-05
LAURENS BOYS BACK
FROM
T%raynham Guards Returned Sunday From
Chickamauga Fought in Sham Battle
on Lookout Mountain.

Traynham Guards returned home
Sunday after their ten day encamp-
ment at Chickamauga park. Follow
ing is an interesting account of the
trip and camp life, written specially
for The Advertiser by a member Of the
company:
Probably the most exciting and inter-
csting event that occupied the attention
of the troops of the First Regiment
during their stay at Chickamauga Park,
Ga, was the big sham battle that took
place on Thursday morning, July 30th.
There were approximately l, 500 on each
side. The Brown army was composed
of the 1st Regiment of Infantry from
South Carolina, six companies OF the
9TH Regiment of Infantry, u. S., six
troops of the 18th Cavalry, u. S., and
several batteries of the 3rd Artillery.
u. S.. with detachments from the u.
The Blue Army consisted of the 10th
and 72nd Regiments from Virginia with
the same number of regular troops
from the 7th Infantry, u. S., 18th Cav
airy, U. S., and Bird Artillery.
Col. w. w. Lewis, of the list Regi-
ment, N. G. S. c., was in command of
the Brown army and Col. Robert Leedy,
of the Blue army. The LIST Regiment,
N. G.. S. c., marched from their camp
to Fort Orglethorpe, a distance of
about % miles, where they, joined the
cavalry, infantry and artillery of the
Regulars. The Virginia troops had
their base about 5 miles from Fort Or
glethorpe.
At the proper time the command was
given to move forward, the 18th Cay
Infantry and 3rd Artillery with the LIST
6 C. REGIMENT in the rear
After a march of about "a miles the
advance guard of the Blues started
firing on the Browns. The 1st battalion
of the LIST S. C.. was Immediately
thrown out as skirmishers and were
sent to the extreme right of the battle
line. AS the advance guards of the
Blues slowly fell back before the fire
up and in a short while the artillery
became engaged. The cavalry of the
Brown army executed a flank movement
and made a fine charge driving back
the Blues. About this time a company
from the Brown army made a charge
and captured the artillery of the Blue
army. The LIST Battalion of the 1st
South Carolina during this time were
driving back the line of the Blues,
forcing them first from their position in
a body of woods, then from a strong
position on a road and driving them at
last out into an open field. After that
the battalion was moved in to the left,
where sd" company captured about rs
of the enemy. About this time the
command to cease firing was given by
the umpires who rode up and down the
lines getting the positions of both ar
mics. When the comparisons were
made it was found that the Brown
army had successfully taken every
point and had the battle been real
would have completely taken the day.
During the whole of the battle the
umpires were kept in touch with all the
points by the telephone and telegraph
lines of the Signal Corps. 1t was quite
interesting to watch the operations of
OF the army. For instance, in the lay
ing Of the telephone lines a horseman
carrying a reel of wire vas sent out
and as he rode along the wire was un-
reeled and after him came two other
men on horses who placed the wire on
the branches of trees with long poles.
Some people probably wonder how
the battle is decided since nothing but
blanks are used and one could shoot at
The method of deciding the battle is
this: Umpires, who are known by white
bands around their hats, ride up and
down the lines during the battle taking
note of the positions of the various
lines, the rapidity with which the fire
of the enemy is returned, the way the
men use natural resources to protect
themselves from the fire of the enemy
as shooting from behind stumps, fallen
trees, etc, the manner in which com
mands are executed, the positions held
at the close of the battle and the move
ments executed during the battle. At
the close of the battle notes are com
pared and the umpires then
their decision. In this case the decision
was that the Brown army won.
The two armies returned to camp at
about IL o'clock.
"No militia regiment which has ever
visited Chickamauga has come in for a
larger share of favorable comment
from soldiers and citizens alike than the
South Carolina soldiers now camped on
the hillside in front of the headquarters
of General Potts.
"There is not a tough looking soldier
to be seen i'm tho olive drab of the regi-
ment. The men seem to have been Sc
lected, not taken because they wanted
to have a trip at government expense
and pitched into any sort of misfit
clothing to comply with the laws, as in
the case in many militia regiments.
The clothing seems to fit the men who
wear it in a way to Indicate that the
men have been in the service at least
long enough to know how to wear their
garb. They also seem to have enough
clothing to keep them clean and there
is no slouching around with coats IN
buttoned and awry.
an their camp and out of it military
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