The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1908-11-20

Ready. aim. fre," Poor Pick. the
.asr Z heard of him The Yankees had
taken his hat AMI fine boots. and
were marching him 10 City Point. but
even ia his trial and tribulation. he
showed his good hard sense by going
out from the left of the column. and
thus boz iho blaCkuess of the night.
drawing the fire OF the enemy away
from his people Not a man on our
side was killed or wounded. but /.
wa told that dead Yankee was
found fhe next day on the left of
where the column was standing I
. was sitting ou my horse three or four
yards to the left OF the head OF the
regiment when the order fire" was
given. Immediately after the volley
O. heard Capt Zimmerman Davis of
the Fifth South Carolina. who had
been detailed from his command for
: special service at brigade headquar-
/ tiers. shouting. Halt, Halt, Halt"
and here came pell-meH and panic
stricken camp guard. | might as well
have tried 10 stem a torrent with a
straw. In trying TO brace myself
! from the shock, my right foot had
slipped between the leather covering
and the stirrup on my army saddle
When my horse recovered his feet
off he rushed across the new ground
field, with my body being smashed
TO the ground with every stride he
took. The premonition came flashing
back Here is death. what Will be
come OF my poor wife and child. When
my horse had run about POO yards.
and consciousness was nearly gone,
my foot was WrenChed from its boot
and with my right leg almost out OF
its socket. the fingers o. my right
hand disiocated. the skin and hair
from the side of my face and head
gone was left dazed. battered and
bruised. a miserable wreck Sitting
on the ground in this condition.
heard someone not far from me. call
ing: Colonel, Oh. Colonel" [ an
swered. and Orchard rode up and lift
ed me on his horse. got up behind. and
we Joined the command which
found in perfect ORDER asked Or
chard the next day how il was he
came to find me. Il heard you try
ing to stop the stampeded guard.
heard the crash when they struck
your horse Immediately after. call
ed to you. and not being answered, I
, dismounted, and fearing you had been
killed. [ felt on the ground where !
last heard you. Not finding you, and
remembering that | heard a horse
running. [ took the chances and rode
in the direction of his fiigth.' Thus
it was that the premOnition that
would be killed that day was not veri
fed.
have seen men marching shoulder
to shoulder. to almost certain death
but in all my experiences. when I con
slider the demoralizing influences at
r tending this act of Orchards, | know
of no one more deserving a higher
distinction for unselfshness and gal
g lantry.
. The Sixth South Carolina stood
like a rock. Had not the discipline
+ and pluck of the regiment made
them immune to the contagious dis
: order around them. and they ha,
o stampeded Buffers brigade. would
% more than likely have been broker
= to flinders in the woods that night
, Col Millin's battalion of cavalry haC
Z been stampeded only a short time be
. fore by a single shot from one of on
own pickets. and had run tWelV
miles. horses and men being kille,
-, and wounded i'm the mad race. If III
= memory. serves me rightly. one o
WelIington's veteran divisions, dur
inc his peninsular campaigns, wa
I stampeded 10y a drove of cattle. 1t
difficult for even old soldiers TO IN
. dersrand this epidemic of fear whic
al times makes soldiers as uncOnro
: liable as wild cattle As I lay on m
. cot the day after the incident de
.. scribed. it was a great comfort
~. think Gen. Hagood correct in hi
-, statement to gen. Butler
= Gen. Butler. VIXEN We were nc
!. fighting on our own account woul
. sometimes ask me TO ride the line
with him. One morning a. we passe
~ the regiment he was pleased TO s3ea
ina very pleasant and compImentr
- wav concerning H. and wound mp 0
:, saving. DO you know. if I had n'
-. met Gen. Hagood in Charleston.
would have LETT your regiment
Sourb Carolina" He asked n
-, which regiment I was going TO tai
bacl. 10 Virginia. I told him u
y. Third. Fourth and Fifth. He sal,
- MY advice 10 YOU is TO take Il
81 b. .trn+ D