Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1909-08-11
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THE WILDERNESS.
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Editor Keowee Courier: The OBJ
ject of this article Is to give a sketch
of the Battle of the Wilderness.
will try to give some Of the outlines
of this battle and how Gen. Long.
streets corps got to the Wilderness.
Longstreet's corps had spent the
winter of 1868 and 1854 in East
Tennessee. We left Chattanooga in
October, 1868, and went up the Ten
nessee and Virginia railroad to Bris-
stol. / am not sure, but l think we
ADere transported to Charlottesville,
Va, by railroad. l know we spent
Sunday at Charlottesville, and on
Monday we left for Gordonsville. We
travelled on one of the fastest cars
the writer ever travelled on. We made
quick trip from Charlottes vile to
Gordonsville--a distance, If my men,
ory is correct, of GO miles. Here
we took up our line of march
through the country to the battle
field of the Wilderness. We got on
what was called the old plank road
and travelled 1t to The Wilderness.
We got to the seat of action by way
of the Plank Road, and the first thing
we did as we went up the road (ex-
cept the firing of musketr and can
nom was to meet Gen. James Long
street on his horse coming down the
road wounded through his shoulder.
He looked very sick. and the boys
were very sorry to know he was hurt
so badly, for we all loved "Jim"
Longstreet. That was the name the
boys all gave him.
The next sad news received was
khat Gen. Micah jenkins was killed
at the same time Longstreet was
wounded. This was sad news indeed
to us, for we belonged to Jenkins's
Brigade; but such instances as this
go to make up war life. Some one
took command of the army CORPS in
place Of Longstreet. / can't say who
he was. Col. John Bratton took
command of the brigade in place of
Gen. jenkins, and was soon put into
line Of battle, and about or
o'clock in the evening, l think, of
the 4th day of May, 1864, we went
into the place to fight the Battle of
the Wilderness. 1t is not extrava-
CANT TO say that was wilderness.
The small growth Of timber was so
thick a man could be seen only q
very short distance. At the same
time there was plenty of large tim
ber there. The land was compara-
lively level. When we went into the
fight We went into thieket for
half mile and came to branch,
where we stopped and fired many
rounds, and the shot came thick and
fast through the thicket at us. I
don't think, however, any of us saw
man in that fight except his own
comrades. While we were firing
near the branch l was slightly
face.' 1t was a very slight wound
and with care it did not scar me.
There were a great many killed on
both sides in this battle, and there
ticed. When we came out OF the
wilderness, or thicket, one could look
back and see the bullets had gone
through the little bushes and burst
thicket resembled cotton field near
Eseady for picking. To look into the
ilN6lderness and see the condition OF
Sthe trees and think of the hundreds
of men who had gone through and
come out unhurt made me conclude
that God had held His hand between
the lives of the men and the bull
lets.
After the battle was over one Of
my comrades and I went over the
ground. We found some dead Yam
KEGS, and ! call to mind one I saw
IN a dying condition. l spoke to him
asked him If he would have some
water. He opened his eyes and saw
my gray suit, cursed me and said he
didn't drink water that a Reb car
ried.
Having been in this Confederate
war is something like being taken
from home in early life. When one
grows old the old home looms fresh
in ones mind, and we love to cher
ish the recollections, and many think
they will return at some time to see
the spot where they played in child
hood So it is now Thirty-fiyp