Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-04-16
.PARKER's BOY BATTERY
COVERS SELF WITH GLORY
Helps Put Stars on Collar of
General Stephen D.
Lee.
t sHARPsBURG. SEPTEMBER. ,os
Detailed rs Foriorn Hope, to Duty
From which 1t Was Not Expected to
Return Alive. Unit Distinguishes
Itself for Gnliantry and bravery.
ny w. atck. Evans.

by w. Nck. evans.
When we left the battlefield o
SECOND Manassas, where we had pu
! the third star on the collar OF Stephe,
D. Lee. making him II full colonel o
artillery. In tho Confederate States
Army, we wcnded our way north. an,
after brushing the Yankees out OF on,
way. crossed the Potomac River n
l,eesburg. Va. There was then in ou,
command four Virginia batteries, nnt
inc brooks artillery. commanded bS
CAPTAIN A. II. Rhett. of Charleston
S. Z.
After crossing the rotomac. We
marched to Frederick CITY, Md. Here
we were Joined by a battery OF III,
widest lrishmen. from the rivers IND
swamps around New Orleans, La
commanded Icy Captain Moody, known
az the Madison Tips"
After the Tips had been in camr
| TOT day or two. some OF the bows
OF the Roy Battery. the writer being
among rrn Inc number thought to mako
friendly call on the Tips. When
| we reached their camp we were
| greeted as follows: Hello bows W.
are going to have old Parky court.
martinled." What ror?" we asked.
! For drawing rations for men and
GIVING them TO dam boys." was the
reply. This they thought wou1d
| Il
| when they found it was met by n
| ringing shout of laughter, they in
Nlted us to supper with them. ns thc,.
always had the best OF everythinc
TO cat wherever they sot II, we ac-
ccptcd.
start, for Shnrpsburs.
Inc next morning the battalion
started for Sharpsburg. The Tin,
were on our left and as we went into
position on the battlefield. they were
next TO us. During the early eve
,nte' we could hear the fanks coming
mo position IN our front What
niue infantry support We had was
used as picket line. Abou, 10
O'CLOCK that night Captain Parker
fouhd that our horses had not been
ied. Tor the reason that no forarc
hao reached us. There was. however.
parn between the lines Of our nicl.
OTIS and those OF the Yankees Ennr
VI US. the Youngest. were directed TO
80 INTO this barn and get feed for
our horses. Very much against Tho
protest OF our infantry friends. wa
were allowed TO go through their
INES. The two lines were very close
.osether. They said we would raise
n and we did, unintentionally. how
ever. After getting into ,hc hsrr
sithoush il was very dark. Il was So
niied with provender. that we hnd
only 10 feel about and yet what Va.
were sent for. II was so close IN tho
Yankee lines we could hear them
speaking and necessarily we were
very quiet. However. we had left the
narn door omen and could SEE thc
direction we were to take 10 cot an,
upon reaching the door one ~ our
party made misstcp, and fell M, -,
tho barn. then the fun began and u,o
were roundiy cursed by our infantry
picKets. We kept them busy for nm
h9ur or more before things got uuiet
aso'h, out our horses got their SUD
per. We had none
The next morning, at tho first .icr
OF GAVIN. tho ianks began their at
Jacks. 1t may be well TO saw ma,
'ne position we occupied was on m.
rising ground In front OF the Dunk
ards Church. which in or was ahnut
mic from tho town Of Sharpsburp
= ms road that day had its name
chahsel To Bloody Lande. Our bnt-
terry OF artillery. owing to the iact
"i sufhcient Infantry, was holding
TINS position between the corps ~
Aongstreet and Jackson and as stated
before. was scarcely more than a Thin
skirmish line. men probably ten fcet
or more apart. The Confederate line
o.Inen was I'M on the right,
i-ohEstreet In center and jackson on
the left. The position we hold us
ono or vital Importance, which did
NOT escape the eye Of General Nfc
aleiiand From dawn on that bIoohv
september morning until about o M
we were charged time and again Nv
,nc pest troops in the Yankee army.
49,, time they we're repulsed their
ines were Strengthened and they
M"u'a com" again. During the inter
'aiS thty would make use of their
ShaIp shooters, TO pick off our bovs
"t h't our horses. so Very accurate
was Their workmanship. that at one
o' our pieces. four men whose duty
: VAS 10 hre the gun. were shot down
5,. me gun could be fred. This
Instance has since been measured;
400 yards.
F"rced to leave Field.
nch We were forced to leave
the he!d, our ammunition was ex-
pended' Nearly one-half of our bows
ana horses were left dead or wounded
on ,he heid, one gun had been dis
swung under a timber.
This battery started from Cam,
Lee in March. 1862. with four iron
Suns made At the TredeCar Iron
Norks' We soon had epu!pned our-
selves with four Of tho beat ,brne.
men rihds in the Yankee army. and
r'' !ost single sun until April &.
After going 10 the rear TO renlen-
ish our ammunition chests and feed
our h"rses and men. II became .vi.
"eht mat wc.shouid have to retroa,
that night. The poeition OF the ARM
a thht t'mc was about as follows.
our rish had been driven hack nur
Seh'er was about holding It's own.
put jackson had not bcon dislodGed
ana was SIN holding its position on
ams extreme loft OF the original fieid
mere was only one way out for him
ne must come down this bloody I.ane
." the town of Sharpsburg, and turn
un 10 Tue right toward the Potomnc
RIVER Until jackson was safe we
must hold tho town OF Sharpsburp
~ "as 'hnn late in the evening
ana what was left az our batTaijnn
was In formation ready TO move In
any direction. The Tips were stii
h'At to us. Just then. Colonel Stephcn
- Lee rode mp IN front OF parker,a
ihttcry, which was drawn M In lin.
As ciear AZ bell. he said, 81 want
N"iunicrr section from this bat
Ierg' Tor duty from which you NAV
never return. II you arc wilTNcg To
go 6tep TO the front" The colonel
ma" scarcely finished his words. when
10 nc 4.