Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-02-02


Jan. s, 1852.
Dear Enquirer: Since my last, we
have seen the wolf. On Wednesday
morning the 1st instant, about ten
o'clock, heavy cannonading was heard
in the direction Of Port Royal ferry,
which was conjectured at once to pro-
ceed from Yankee gunboats. Prepara-
ton was Immediately commenced for
a move-knapsacks were packed, can
teens filled with water, haversacks
with provisions, and cartridges dis
tributed. About half past eleven a
courier arrived with information that
the enemy had landed on the main"
in large force.
Gen. Pemberton, who had just ar
rived at our camp, Immediately order
ed four companies to the support OF
Col. Jones' regiment, which was sta
toned in the immediate vicinity Of the
ferry. The companies designated for
the service were the Palmer Guards"
Capt. McCorkle; the Campbell Rifles"
u.
under command Of Lieut.. Campbell,
and the "Bonham Rifles" from Pick
ems district, under the command Of
Lieut.. Col. Barnes The battalion was
formed in a few minutes and moved
off at once, for the scene Of action. 1t
pushed forward vigorously and reach
ed the vicinity Of the ferry about half
past two o'clock The Yankees sa-
luted our arrival with a number Of
shells, which fell uncomfortably close
to us, without, however, doing us any
injury. We were Immediately ordered
to the left Of the main road, near
where Col. Jones' regiment had al
ready taken position in pine thicket,
about a mile from the river, and In
supporting distance Of two pieces of
light artillery. We had just taken the
position assigned us, when bang!
went one Of the field pieces, and
heard the exclamation from some one
They are coming!" Our battalion
was Immediately moved back a few
hundred yards to prevent the enemy
from fianking Col. Jones. We filed in
to an open field and were deployed
along a fence situated between us and
the enemy. We could very soon see
them advancing. deployed as skir-
mishers in the direction Of Col. Jones'
regiment, which gave them a volley as
soon as they got in range, when they,
(the Yankees), retreated at break
neck pace. Another body Of skirmish-
ers commenced moving towards where
our battalion was posted. When they
had approached within some two hun
dred and fifty yards Of our position,
the order was given to charge on them.
Our boys Immediately jumped the fence
and the Yankees turned about and
scampered again. At this our men
an irregular fire. which,
however, owing to the great distance,
done no damage as we could see.
The fire was returned by a company
posted to our right in a thicket of
woods, by which one man in the Ian
caster Hornets was severely wound
ed, and Sergeant David Jackson of
Capt. McCorkle's company, lost the
crown Of his cap. This is all the dam
age we sustained, although the balls
fell around us as thick as hail.
At this juncture three members Of
Capt. Millers company, who had been
detailed to watch the movements of
the enemy near the skirt Of the woods,
above, returned and report
ed the enemy advancing in consider
able force, with a view, doubtless, to
get on our fianks. Capt. McCorkle's
company was ordered to the brow of
n hill nearby, when it advanced and
had been thrown up near some houses
as an enclosure. The enemy could not
be seen, owing to a thicket of small
pines, behind which they were pass
ing, although the officers could be
heard giving commands. The other
were ordered to our support
and deployed along the brow of the
hill. They had hardly got in position
when the enemy appeared in some
force on our right. Lieut.. Campbelrs
company, which occupied the position
nearest the enemy, opened fire, when
they made a preasitate retreat again
and took cover near the gunboats,
lying in the river, only some few hum
dred yards distant.
Col. Jones regiment by this time
had come to our assistance, and the
Yankee forces having taken shelter,
the gunboats commenced shelling us
at furious rate. Col. Jones, by Sc
niority, being in command ordered the
forces to retire out of range of the
retrograde movement was
commenced in good or
der, but the column had proceeded but
a short distance until large shell en-
ploded in the midst Of it, killing three
instantly and wounding six or seven
others. some Of whom have since died.
All who were injured by this casualty
belonged to Col. Jones regiment.
Private Vallandingham of Lancas-
ter, belonging to our regiment was
killed by another she'll Several others
were wounded but not seriously. The
enemy continued to cannonade until
near dar' but without doing any fur
ther damage.
On leaving the field, we were Joined
by Gen. Donelson with a portion of his
brigade Ohe Sth Tennessee RegimenD,
who assumed command of the entire
force and moved us about two miles
from the ferry, where he ordered
bivouac for the night The forces un-
der his command now numbered about
fourteen hundred men, together with
four pieces Of artillery. would just
mention here, by the way. that one of
the pieces formerly belonged to the ia