The Iuka vidette. (Iuka, Miss.) 1894-1912, 1912-05-23
War Recollections
The Seven Days Battle

tween the Federal army command
ed by Geo B Mcclellan and the
Confederate army commanded by
Robt E Lee, began on Wednesday
June oath, 1862. | shall not un-
dertake to give a full accouat of
the entire battle, but only the por
ton in which | was personally en-
gagged or saw. The first heard
of the battle was the blooming of
cannon and the crash of small arms
as Stonewall Jackson S command,
from the Valley, struck the Yam
kee right wing at Mechanicsville,
about 8 p m on the "a. The firing
continued heavily until dark and
was mostly with small arms. |
could not tell whether they were
changing positions as they fought
or not. After the firing ceased
about dark we could smell the
scent of burnt powder very plain
ly in the atmosphere, although we
were about 7 miles distant. Next
morning, the 25th, the fire opened
up but eeurther to the east, which
showed that the Yankees had fallen
back. The air was very still and
/ could hear the volleys of small
arms with astonishing plainness
and even the. cheering, the Tebel
yell and the huzzas of the Yankees.
From where we were stationed,
near the Confederate center, we
could see columns of Yankee in
| fantry double quicking from the
Yankee center and left to the re-
lief of their hard pressed comrades
on the right. This continued,
with occasional intermissions, for
about hours. All this time our
brigade remained perfectly still
| but being shelled all the tins ps
1.-THE wild cats battery and lost
! several men from the shells. The
! firing ceased about sunset. Next
morning, June 2Sth, the battle
opened up by O'Clock about the
same place and was very heavy.
There was charging of the heavy
works by the Confederates. The
slightly wounded began passing
through our lines in great NUM-
bers, going back to Richmond.
The firing lasted until in the night
and the Yankees abandoned thei1
works and fell back. The next
day was Sunday. We were or
dered forward, passing over apart
of the ground of the Seven Pines
battle, the enemy retiring slowly
and skirmishing with Our advance
| as we moved forward. At Seven
Pines station we changed forma-
ton from battle line to marching
column Of fours. The Yankees
opened up orius Immediately with
artillery. Gen Griffith, who COM
manded our brigade, was killed
by piece OF shell. / saw him
reel in the saddle and saw him
| helped off his horse He died in
| a few minutes. Col Barksdale
succeeded him in command. We
4 lost several men from our brigade
| here. Marching in columns of
fours we marched about half mile
when we changed back into Line Of
battle. We were in the Chicka-
hominy swamp, where the water
was from shoe mouth to knee
deep, skirmishing still with the
Yankees till we reached Savage
1 Station where the retiring Yankees
made stand. Just north of this
Istation was their field hospital
Here we, the 18th and 21st regi'
| ments, were thrown into columns
; Of fours and ordered to double
quick across failroad bridge
! The 18th and 18th regiments were
J left to support a heavy piece O
+ artillery on fiat car. After
crossing the bridge we were agair
placed in line and charged th'
strong breastworks irninddiatel!
1 III front, about 800 yards distant
There were al sorts Of abba&tis Q
obstructions placed ia front Q