The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-06-06

ly WOOQ6Q. 1ulS LluIuel udu ue0A 9AeSA@
ed down to impede the progress of the
Union troops and Hooker's division
formed in line of battle in this fall
len timber and then advanced to the
edge of the open ground within range
of the enemy's artillery, but out OF
range of their musketry. Our artiil-
cry was posted just beyond the edge
of the timber and opened fire with
the infantry supporting it Immediately
in the rear.
soon the enemy's shells were hurt
ling among the fallen timber, and we
were ordered to lie down and cover
ourselves behind tree trunks as we'll
as we could. 1t thus happened that
only a general line was preserved, al
though all were ready to fall in at a
moments warning. l selected a Dartl-
cularly large tree trunk for my cover,
some ten or fifteen yards in advance
of the general line, and behind this l
lay down, taking off my knapsack and
using it for a pillow. 1 was not full
|ly recovered from my wound OF the
year before, and was exhausted from
the twenty-four hours duty and the
1ony march with the heavy load, and
after an hour or two sleep, al
though the battle was raging.
81 never knew how long slept, but
it must have been an hour or two.
When 1 awoke 1 stood up and looked
about me. The rain had ceased, and a
heavy fog mingled with the smoke
hung owe rthe field, but, curiously, it
did not quite extend to the ground, and
by STOPPING I could see under it. None
of my regiment nor any other was In
sight, but out in front about fifty yards
off was the battery which we had been
supporting, several guns dismounted,
carriages and caissons wrecked and a
great number of horses lying dead on
the ground. Scattered about among
the wreckage were about twenty men
with muskets in their hands and gray
overcoats on.
"Now, my regiment and another
regiment in the same brigade we're
wearing gray overcoats, and it never
occurred to me for moment that the
men were not of these two regiments.
So I shouted to them. "Do you belong
to the--regiment? and greatly to
my surprise their muskets went up to
their shoulders and they yelled, Come
in here, you Yankee AS 1 have said
I was only three months out OF Libby
prison., and the only thing thought OF
was the dread Of going back there, so
| I grabbed nv musket in one hand and
my, knapsack in the other and started
to run for the rear.
eff the way had been open probably
I would have run in straight llne'
but in the timber I zigzagged about,
jumping over, crawling under or run
ming around fallen logs, so that when
they fired at me not bullet touched
me. But l thought I heard million
of them about my ears. I was scared
| into a panic. l let go my knapsack,
but hung to my musket, and with my
wet overcoat tapping about my legs
continued to run, utterly demoralized
and with only one thought-to get
away. If the enemy had had breeeh-
loading or magazine rifles they would
have fired again, and probably would
have got me. But as they were armed
with only muzzle leaders it took time
to load again, and this was my saliva
tion.
did not realize that I.:had got into
a zone of safety and kept -on'%a half
mile more, when I ran into line of
cavalry .deployed in the r@ar of our
line to drive up stragglers, of which
there were a great number, as always
happen with an army-men who had
fallen out. before: getting to! the front
and others who had skulked behind
and still others who had gone back to
help the wounded. 1t seems that the
battery which we had been supporting
had been put out. of action and that
the enemy had turned the flank OF
Hooker's division, and my regiment
and brigade had been hurried over to
REINFORCE the left, so that when I
awoke was alone.
"Omcers of the cavalry had rallied