The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-24


We nado no question:; We had been
sent there dnu. lying down, awaited
events. II soon came. With no sound
of firing guns, Invisible bullets camo
Missing from the point directly In our
rear. where we had just came from
several OF my company were killed and
wounded. The huilaty continued com
ing: no enemy could be aeon or heard
thero was no earthly uss To lie there
ana DO Slaughtered, so we moved .un
inc line To our coiors and halted. Bul-
ieta sun came, appa rentiy from the
rear, so we continued moving up the
mo 'isicscopinS, II Is callctll; still
no enemy could be seen, nor the sound
or guns fr!ng. but tho men attn were
'hcinS killed and wounded. Slowly VIC
continued tclescopinp until VIC ar
rived at the right OF the brigade, n
MACS OF mon ready TO light. but no
enemy TO be seen. An old ncid OF about
an acre. covered with old broom gage,
and NO halted and began nrIng back
down the line No had retreated over;
not GceinS an enemy. but firing on
general principles, II WAS uncsnny and
deTnoralizing, Sut there was no panic
SIMPLY u strong drHiro 10 see the
ehcny and to charge him. A sixteen
|ehr-old recruit, that had joined us
u short time before. was standing by
me with II smile on his face, said: you
boys have always written home TINT
you always whipped the Yankees; 1
think they are getting the best of YOU
this time" Watt p minute" ] said
and all this will change" asked why
he WaH not nrinB, and he said he could
sec nothing 10 shoot AZ. and smilingiy
said his gun would not shoot---it was
an old ono out OF condition. Just ti!cn
one OF our men fell. Telling him to
take that gun quick. he asked what
should no shoot at Looking across
the broomsage field I saw the Yankee
celors tiarlng, out no men In sight. |
said: shoot right mt tho foot of those;
some one Is there" lie began nr'nE nj
once; we had been doing so for half
on hour.
In the meantime y fresh brigade had
come in on our left, and In n twink
line OF an eye things were reversed.
Back down the line We charged at fun
run. the enemy coming from every tree
and bush, Swing us something to
shoot At On We charged, soon arriv-
ing where we had first commenced
moving back, and stopped an instant
to speak to my friend white who
was wounded in tho leg. and could
not retreat @lth ne He was dying.
The enemy had bayoneted him four
times through the body as they passed,
and shot ind killed several others who
had also been wounded. The ground
was covered with their own doad and
wounded. On we rushed after the re-
treating toe. They wero more In mass
now, and we could do moro execution.
We had charged back to where the
pike road went down q hill through On
open field. On We went after the col
umn. At the foot OF tho hill were two
pieces Of cannon the enemy were load
ms, but the horses We're all killed. In
fiVe minutes we had those guns. and
stopping to aid In reversing them SO
ms to fro them back at tho retreatins
roo. heard some son say: Look
there" CHANGING across tho field.
came fresh line Of the enemy about
100 yards. Just by us was n deep gull
~ which centuries Of rain had washed.
and into this gully ws all piled, 1t
was about eight feet wido and ten feet
oeop. We were in st sure enough.
Gould 500 neither ahead nor behind.
Hastily though, we arranged bayoncts
for hand-to-hand encounter. We
supposed there was 10 be no quarter
the minutes passed and no enemy
came, we knew we were safe. There
was too MANI of US III there. and woe
TO the enemy II he Came. 1t VAS IN.
pleasant, for we could not see what
was going Oh. Soon one of the men
firing. decided 10 climb out. AS he
reached the TOP dozen bullets hit
him, and he fell back dead. Another
tried II, and no fell back badly wound
ed An officer gave orders that no one
else should attomrt Il. as it was GER
tain death and useless. as we wcro
safe: but there Is always some fool 10
take chances.
Waiting half an hour. began 20
look around, and found did not know
a man present. save this officer. a North
Carolinian. had gotten out Of line
In the charge. felt sure my brigade
was back ut tho brow of the hill, and
knew | should be there with IT, I be-
gan TO tighten my belt and straps for
a dash: asked the officer to notify the
Fourth Georgia II was killed getting
out. He said lie knew me and would, ,
but advised me not to go. I decided
to run up the hill In a zigzag way. not
In q straight line. Telling tho officer
sood-hy, ! climbed up the bank, and
mt Tho top jumped out and new. Be-
fore leaving thought Of all tho bad
habits l had. and folt that there was
ono ! could give UP t. got out OF
this safely.
AS stepped over tho dead artil-
lery horses heads thought could
hear hundreds Of bullets strike, and
as ! slowly ascended the steep hill
tho puffs OF dust from tho flying bull
lets was llke hall from clear slsy. I
thought I would never reach the top,
and bullet in the back would be a
Disgrace forever. MY breath came
shorter and shorter; would I never
get there. rabbit came along and
flew by me; never noticed it My
=, T.4
my mouth, but I kept on turning the
brow OF tho hill. could sec no liaa
of troops; everybody was behind trees.
and tthore were not trees enough to
get behind. just before me was en-
.oflcer. and one aid 1t was the general