Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1921-08-31

Interesting War EXPERIENCES
OF MIR. w. T. Walton, From
1868 to 1865.
Editor the Edgefield Advertiser:
You asked me to write up some
more of my experiences in the Civil
war from '63 to '65. I hesitate to do
so, but you and your readers are at
liberty to know what I had to go
through with as well as those in my
command.
The first six months we were in
and around Richmond and Peters
burg, Va. as local troops to guard
the raiding Yankees about these
two towns.
When Longstreet's corps was
sent to the Western Army, our bri-
gade was relieved by other troops
and sent to Longstreet's corps to the
Western. army under Gen Bragg
Longstreet's corps was in the bat
tie of Chikamauga, while our brigade
was on its way to the scene of battle
Ours was known as jenkins Brigade.
The Chicamauga fight was over when
we got there, and the Yankees had
possession of Chattanooga: We were
stationed at the foot of Lookout
Mountain to guard and do duty.
We had a picket line to keep up
around this mountain. One day
1 was put on post to guard by my
self near a large rock. A sharp-shoot-
er on the Yankee line saw me and
made it his, business to try to hit me
with his balls. Every minute ball
would sing by my head, and it had
gotten to be very uncomfortable to
me. The officer coming around to
look after the picket post, passed by,
and told him that the Yankee there
had spied me and was making tar
get Of me, but I was holding my post.
The officer told me to get behind
the big rock and l promptly obeyed
orders and I heard no more unWel7
come 4bailss pass This was quite "a
relief to me.
When Burnsides with his COM
mand was coming down from Nash
vile to reinforce the Yankee army
around Chattanooga Longstreets
corps was sent to meet him. We met
Burnside's army and Drove them
back to Nashville. They retreated
very stubbornly, giving us as much
trouble as they could using their
raiding cavalry.
One day their cavalry trying to
stir us up, as they had possession Of
hill, our commanding officer as
ked brigadier general if he thought
he could take that hill from them.
He hesitated. Our Lieutenant, Col.
Logan was the best officer we had
on a skirmish line. A few days be-
fore this he had fallen on the Yam
KEGS strong skirmish line, bringing
up their retreat and captured the
whole line. You need not ask me how
he did it. I do not know.
Col. Logan was asked to take the
Legion.
My command, changed the Yam
kee's on the hill and drove them off
as we were shouting, and killing sew
eral men and horse.
They reformed and came back
at us. Our company was on the right
of the regiment. We were sent down
a fence row, one man to each corner
of the fence in skirmish line. Here
were thick woods in our front and
we could not see far in front. We
heard something back on the hill and
our boys were falling back. We knew
they were close in front of US. There
was a small field at our back, and we
had to fall back through this open
space, the Yankees close to the fence
with their repeating carbine with
nothing to do but shoot at us.
One more man and myself got
through this little field without get
ting killed or wounded. The balls
passed my legs as fast as I could
step. My friend saw swamp Offer
ed as protection, but I told him to
keep moving or he would be shot to
pieces.
/ must say I thought my time was
at hand, but not so. The good Lord