Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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PKSA PUBLISHED WEEKLY. WJNNSBORO, S. C., WEDNESDAY, MAY 31905. BATTLE OF REAM'S STAIUN. Hagood's Brigade Cut to Pieces--The General's Daring Recovery of a Flag --An Incident that Delighted Col. Rion. Ir. Editor: I will again en* deavor to gratify my old comrades and many of my young friends also by giving them another war story, my last. I have in my other war stories endeavored to give due honor to my friends and comrades, the gallant Cols. P. H. Nelson and J. H. Rion, and Capts, Brooks, Segurs, Clyburn and -others of the 7th battalion, to which I had the honor to belong. Now I propose to make special :mention of Gen. Johnson Hagood .and his gallant brigade. His general life and war records I shall leave to be told by older and wiser heads than mine. I shall confine this story to the battle of Ream's Station, some times called the Weldon Road. Gen. Hagood has been criticized by a few f z the wreck of his brigade on that fatal day. After a full investigation in council of war by several of Gen. Hagood's seniors in rank he was fully vin-. dicated and the mistake was that of Gen. Mahone. After the crater fight on the 30th of July, 1864, on the east of Petersburg, Gen. Grant turned ahis attention to the southern side .of the city. Here the Weldon riailroad came into the city. It -as the great highway to the SGanth. This road was regarded as a great necessity to Petersb.urg and Richmond and the Confed - eracy. To give, it up meant giv ing up Virginia and retiring to North Carolina. It was impor tant, therefore, for Grant to take it and to the Confederacy to hold it. About the middle of August Gens. Malone and Hampton were .sent by Gen. Lee to defend the -road and thead off the Federal .advance. Gen. Mahone, on the 18th and 19th captured 2,100 prisoners and Gen. Hampton drove into Petersburg a large. herd of cattle captured from the enemy. Among the troops eigaged in this feeling expedition 'of Gen. Mahone was Gen. McGowan's S. C. brigade. When Gen. Mc Gowan returned from the front to report to Gen Mahone, he was mounted on his old warhorse with hat in hand and answered Gen. Mahone's inquiry as to whether there were eny Yankees out there: "Oceans of them, Gen eraA oeans" The fire of battle was in Gen. McGowan's eyes and as thev rolled and glistened, Ma )soue concluded to send for rein forcements. It was thus on the 20th Ea good's brigade was ordered from :and left the trenches to assist . Mahone in retaking the Weldon .road which the Yankees had occu pied and was about 9 miles south of the city. Cn Saturday, the -20th, the 7th battalion along with, *the brigade was in the trenches ,..on the east of Petersburg, where * jt had been for three months. -Cl Rion was at that time izn the hospital. His wouded arm had e never healed. That day hearing1 -the movement he came out to see us leave the trenches. The doctors had enjoined upon him not to go with us. He stood Swith Dr. Hanahan on the banks1 of the trenches, while the bat *talion filed past him, The men -t~ 'e pleased to see him an~d glad also to get out of the trenches. .Dol. Rion was pleased with the .s~)of the men and glad t~o *know jhay were to meet the ~enemy aa the open field. He; .gave his ~een many words of u.omfort and cheer. But little did he think the neit time he saw his faithful batte.lion it wtould be1 leuced to nineteen men. Throughm the city we mared~ to the other sida of it, where we mnet alth McGown's brigade. 'ilhere w.e encamped !G b.e night, li~ing dowi ?i a heavy rata. B~ut sve enjoyed the best night's sleep ~we had had iu tw'o mionths. Capt. .J. L. Jones, of Liberty Hiill, ibeing the senior officer present ,was in aommnand of the battalin 'The next morning by 5 o'clock, ~we were narching ;down the woad from the city. The bat talion was in froe ;yith Capt. Jones andL A djutant W. M~I m at its head. WVe were met one of Gen. Mahone's aides who who directed our lie of march to the left of the road where we halted and rested for a fe w in .utes. just then Peg~m's battery of ,#RLerv came down eiw road at jnll ra. Just to our agh and ront.anoss the road was an .ce saed~ Pgamm dashed in to this field and opened a quick fire With all his guns. The enemy's minie balls and shells aimed at Pegram I began to fall about us. Then I came, "Attention. Hagood's bric-, ade, forward, march!" and down the road we went at double quick time, passing this battery and forming a line of battle on thI road side of the old field. Pegram. had already lost all of his horses and the most of his men. It was astonishing what de struction had been done to Pe gram's battery in so short a time. As we passed, some of the old' artillerymen of the battalion wanted to stop an& man the idle guns, but the charge upon the outer lines of the federals had commenced and Hlagood's line swept on across the open field towards the enemy in the woods at the fl-ther edge. Slowly at 2 first th'e emy gave way. They I had butchered Pegram, but now they were in full fight. The 25th regiment was on the left and the battalion on the right. From 1 the woods came the brave and E gallant Gen. Saunders. He was dead, borne on the shoulders of four faithful Alabamians, who had followed their brave commander to his death. Following their I dead commander oame a squad of stragglers into our lines. Adju tant Thomas endeavored to rally , them and get them to join in with I as. But they said they would wait in the road until their brig ade came up. One old fellow. I bowever, aked, "What brigade ist that?" "Hagood's S. C. brigade," s was Adjutant Thomas' reply. s 'All right," said be "that is good enough for me. Come, on, boys. d Let's hitch on here. I was born E in the old State and I can fight I with her." So they were hitched t :n to the right of Company D, c but I don't remember what ever i became of them. f Our balt was only a few mm ates. We were again marched forward with skirmishers tv the ront. We swept through the woods until we came to an open :orn field. There we' stood in ine of battle for several minuteF. From where we stood we could plainly see the enemy -entrenched behind the railroad enbankment I in frcnt of us across the corz ield, and that they had earth works projecting like forts to the Is right and to the left of where we were to charge. The enemy's rtillerv from the front, right and eft were pltying upon us, killing ind wounding our men, tearing I >ff tree tops over our heads and utting down the corn in ouri' 'ront. Gen. Hagood and staiff1 ame to us on the right and or ered the rigzht to move just at 9 'lock. Gen. Hagood, seeing :he surrounding circumstances &ere entirely different from what e had been informed, sent his ide, Capt. Martin* to Gen. Ma one, who was about a hiqcdred yards in the rear, to ask birej what to do. Capt. Martin re :urned with orders from Gen. ' Iahone to charge them, as he ' 2ad been informed there was but a light force of the enemy in his 'Eagood's) front. Had Gen. Ma Eoge seen is as G4en. Hagood did c be might haue avoided what fol towed, This ordler was fina, aind there was no alternative for Hagoodo but to order the advance. Gen. '1 Eagoodi, in passing the battaliou s :l the right of the line, ordered C it to advance at ordinary time abi he came back to the right, s he had to go to the left where ( they ware in troyble. All this e took time an we iem2 standing t still, exposed to their abet a.;d f shell and not allowed to return their fire. The command, "For. I ward," came from Adju t a n t Thomas to the battalion. With sparkling eye and a cheerful faes a s4arted back to the right. As he page4 ,Company B, he shook hands with is .91d friend, Lieut. S. Wade Douglass. Look- I g him in the face, he said: "Ad jutans, 'p are going to catch it , to-day.'' liis reply was: "Oh', Wade, cheer up. We can't die but once, So long, I wili see you: again." Searcely ha.d their hands parted when Lieidt Dou~glass was struck by a minnie ball and he fell mortally wounded at the ad-I jutant's feet. Thom~as called .Qme otne and said, "Take care of Wal" end he moved on. Little did one thigisfve minutes that besides Lieut. I; C.;:'Cmpany B w s to number among iia'iI2 Cot. Kennedy and Lients. Isbell a~a L. ert Kennedy. At this time Biaged~ ;?ame up anid the whole line rusheat ic(;rd. Th'le eemy opened a deadly fire m -~ei aris just in front of the 21st and 25th regiments and upon which the regiments rushed to their deaths; scarcely one-tenth of their number escaped. Capt. Martin, of the staff, was mortally wounded, and immediately Major Maloney, also of Hagood's staff, was killed. This disposed of the left regiments of the brigade for the day. The others were the 27th on' the left, the 11th in the :-entre and the 7th battalion on the right. It was now 10 o'clock. The :hurch bells at Petersburg rang >ut that Sunday hour down in he valley of the shadow of death. long the railroad those chimes loated on the gentle breeze, as if o remind us of our altars and resides. The command was continually iven to forward and dress ou our colors. The whole line )ressed forward amid a murderous ire from the enemy. Men fell at ,verv step, but the brigade closed ip its gaps. It lost half its num er, crossing the first rising0 rround. When we reached the econd rise and were in the flats, he command to halt was given d the order to lay down so as o be protected as much as pos ible, until our support came up. lat they never came. Here, just ,t this time and place, your bum >e scribe received his discharge .nd carries the missile to this ay. Now, Mr. Editor, the remaining ew words I have to say of this errible carnage of blood is hear ay, but taken from reliable ources, from others more for tu te than myself on that fatal ay. Just at this period of the lit., a federal officer rode out rom their lines on our left. As he firing ceased, he came intoI ur lines and said to Col. Gail rd of the 27th: "Give up that g, sir, and surrender. We av'e yoq. surrounded. There omes a column from the left to our rear.to cut off your retreat. have come here to secuie you rom further slaughter. You have truggled far enough." '.;he flag ,as handed over to him. Then Le looked towards the battalion. ts line was straight. Its flag 7as aioat. He asked if the bat alion was uot in the surrender. 3ut the battalion had not sur endered. Every nerve w a s tretched,butnone quivered. Capt. iegurs, now in charge of the bat lion, returned from the right to lie left and asked Thomas what r.is the matter over there n the left. Thomas told him be 27th and the 11th had sur. endered to the federal on the orse. Segurs 'said; "A djutantj re will have to die right here." We will die," said Thomas, "and at those Yankees see how Caro nians can die." Segurs ie arked, "Oh, that Hagood would one up." Just at this time Gen. agood did run up. He said to 'omas: "What is the matterj erer He repliedl ":The 21st d 27th hav e surrendered to the ederal and he has their colors."? en. Hago: was then about fif een paces from the officer. He stantly pulled his pistol and red at bim. Then he rushed at im with pistol in hand, until it eemed to r each his body. "Give p that flg," cried Hagood. ang"' syet thze pistol again. The Ser fell frog; hi~s hqrse and the ag fell from his hands. Hlagraod eized the horse and mounted it. ~apt. Dwight Stoniey of his staff ra bbed the fi g. Hagoodl shouted: All save yourselves who can." ten. Hagood and Stoney safely scaped with the flag thirough he storm of shot and shell that olwed them. len. Hagood and found him sit ing alone uuder a large tree. He ras thinking of his noble dead, ho lay stretched upon the field, o close that if they were living hev could hear him call them. len. Lee rode up and saluted im with tears ini his eyes and poke to~ $en. H agood, 'saying: our brigad e." "Yes," said Gen. Iagood, "I told my men not to hrg. but, poor fellows, the' voud do it, and inw they are all ecartened," sa.id (GeD, Lee; "'there1 Lre some of them left. Gathev hem up and take them back to he rear. You will soon recruit m. I will promise you I will idver ight them any more in this var. They have done their As Gen Hiagood desired iL, e,e done with Gen. Lee, he directed :he adjutant to gaither up the emnant of the brigade and bring hm in him. It was easy for him to reorganize the members the battalion, and soon he h nineteen of them and ten of t other regiments. "Fall in hei Hagood's brigade," rang o through the woods. But it was sorry sight to see. When brought them to Hagood, I pressed each one of them by tj hand with tears rolling down L: cheeks, and told them he knt what they could do, and promis< them teveral week, of rest ai recreation. He turned them ov to Thomas to have them ration( and cared for till fi.:ther ordei The next day the brigade w, sent to Dunlap's farila to rest at recruit up. For several days tl brig-ade increased - from 29 i about 75. It was here that a occurrence took place which d, lighted Col. Rion to tell. I wi tell it and close. One night, Adjutant Thomas was going dowv the lines to see a friend, and he was passing by a camp fire, 1 overheard a conversation betweE some of the soldiers from one < the other regiments. One ma insisted that charging breast worl had played out. No one coul get him to charge breastwort again. His remarks seemed t have the approval of all presen Until one man spok-r up and saii "Men, that won't do; you have t do it. There is that battalion u yonder. It would charge he to-morrow morning and there j not a. man of you that would nc follow them." In this battle I closed m career as an humble soldier i behalf of the "cause that is nc lost!" Jno. H. Neil. White Oak, 'I C. Terrific Race With Death. "Death was fast approaching, writes Ralph F. Fernandez, c Tampa, Fla., describing his feai ful race with death$'-as a resul of liver trouble and heart dis ease, which had robbed me c sleep and of all interest in life 1 had tried many different doc tors and several mediciAes, bu got no benefit, until I began t use Electric Bitters. So wonder ful was their effe'ct, that in thre days I felt like a new man, an to-clay I am cured of all my trou bles." Guaranteed at McMaste Co.'s, Obear Drug Co.'s and Joh H. Mc Master & Co.'s drug storeh price 50c. Robert Bankhead. In the death of my old friend eighbor and comrade in arms obert Bankhead, Fairfield ha ost a true citizen, a generou eighbor, and the A. R. P. churci true and consistent member. The subject of this sketch wal orn in the western section o his county May 7, 1844, and die< t his home in Winnsboro Apri 16, 1905. He was married t< iss Mary Sloane of Jacksoi reek in the year 1867. She an< even children survive him. Hi as a devoted hus'oand, a fon< arent and a kind friend. At the commencement of the civil war, at the age of 16. h< oluneered his sarvices in thi amous Buckhead Guards, Co. G ixth South Carolina volunteers Tere he remained throughou hat bloody struggle of four-ong ears that tried men's soulk beying all orders and command s a trrge and Christian soldier e was severely wounded in th arm on the bloody field of Sevei Pes. Scarcely had his wount ealed when he returned to hi allant command, engaging il any hard fought battles, an< stacled his arms at appomnatto:s In my boyhood days I knes iim; in my manhood days .new InmJ Igtigl evi-him gp t. the day of his~ death. Du~rin this time he and I were mutua friends. It is with a deep feeling c sorrow 1 chronicle the death c y once warm friend and gallan soldier. I take a full share wit. the family of the deceased i; their sorrow and grief. Thu: agpher old soldier has crosse< overth'e river and js Nsting il the shade of the trees. Joradg3 who wore the sacre< And followed the sword of Lee n a few more fleeting years We'll all be witb Jackson ani Lee. A Friend. WVill Cure Consumption. A. A. Herren. Finlch, Ark., wvrites iYol-e Honey and( Trar is the her trouble. I knowv that lR hasi eured co: umpljtion ini the first stagzes." Yo' never heard of anyv one using Foley Honey and~ Tar and. not being~ satistiet oldhby\Te~fster Co. of Captain T. D. Van Horn. ad(Vet de orcP1wune, Apri/ f.] 1d The funeral of Captain Thaddeus I 'e, an Horn, which took place this mor LIt ing at 11 o'clock from his late residenc a No. 1754 Prytania street, was largel attended by the friends of the decease :ae d 11( i family, among them a larg ie 1 nuIer of rupresentative citizen. 1e members of the Masonic order, whiv is conducted the funerM!, and fellow Coi federate veterans. The floral offering Wiwere numerous and beautiful. Afto ,d the impressive ritual of the Mason. idi order was finished at the residenee th funeral proceeded te the cemeteri 3 where the remains of the gallant vet ,d eran were laid to rest in the famil; s. ' burial place. . Captain Van Horn, who was bcrn ii Port Gibson, Miss., in October, 182C ld left his father's plantation in earli tema n hood and came to New Orleans where he had resided continuousi3 since. with the exception of the tinU he was fighting for the ConfederAcy When war between the States was de clared he organized a troop of cavalry, of wi ich he became captain, and thi: troop was attached to Scott's regiment f tighting gallantly throughout the en S tire struggle for the Lost Cause. H( e was a member of the Association oi ethe Army of Tennessee, United Con. federite Veterans, Camp No. 2, and f this and other caips of the organiza tion were represented by delegatioml of their members at the funeral as wert I also the Knights Templar. d Captain Van Horn's death was duf F to paralysis, he having suffered the first stroke a short time after he retired from business some eight or ten year, t ago. He was a man of marked char : acteristics and had occupied positiotn of hihh trust. le'is survived by his widow and P eight children. Tnaiddeus D. Van 1 Horn, Jr., Oliver H., who served as s second lieutenant of the Second Louis t iana Regiment in the Spanish war; Albert C. and James; Mrs. I R. Harby, of Winnshoro, S. C.; Mrs. A. B. Hund y ley, of Columbia, La.; Mrs. A. Peters and Miss Belle Van Horn of this city are hi.s daughters. How to Ward Off Old Age. The most succes'ful way of warding off the approach of old age is to main tain a vigorous digestion. This can be (done by eating only food suited to yon r age and occupation, and when any dis order of the stomach appears take a dose of Chamberlain's Stomach and Liver Tablets to correct it. If you have a wcak stomach or are troubled 1 with indigestion, you will find these f Tablets to be just what you need. For sale by Obear Drug Co. t The sacond blow makes th : fray, imt Q otoif $he first is well - placed. How to Rea.ch the Public In the course of g recent [ e - 1 ture Hart fort. Conn., S on"TheMak ing of a Newspaper," Charles Hopkins Clark of the Courant said.: I"How are you~ going to get at -the public? Mail them circu lars, and the wastebaskets in 10,000 homes give each a wea:'.y yawn, and the cirguer @impi: pears unrea4. QaN1 ipon the Iprgpie andi explain the merits or you wares? The sign 'Our I Busy Day' hangs in business offices: in private houses you Ii must ring the bell. Oftener you 3are turned away. 1"But put a cleverly worded advertisement of these wares ina newspaper that has an established circulation in h V city's home aA tness [I house.9 tow1 aga what hap. . d oildn't get in ..:rgS. btyour ad t etse.n is tacre on the broafast table, in the 11' brary, in the parhir, in tha sewing room. anit when ev f rybody is inquiring for the )pper which can't be found f t is very likely doing duty cn the quiet in the kitchen.9 1i "It Is all o'er the house and wanted there. You are not. And. similarly, at the office it is read and reread, and part of thb use of' 'Thh; 13 Opr. Dutby Day' ' 3s~ age t ge' iance to read thIle paprs. And it is interest Sing to' note the advertisement has anotho'~ thn i cummuercial p-. [p g prunei~d for business purposes5 pture and simple, but - it is often read as newvs." I Tis paper goes into the onfices and homes of the people not as an intruder, but an a welcome visitor, It il tkeyour an~4y rce ; you can~ MendC themtoay considerable ntumber on cir-. L: culars which will be thrown away after a glance. eA( CST The Kind You Have Always Boug In use for over 30 years, has and has b sonalsupe Allowno 0 All Counterfeits, Imitations and Experiments that trifle with and Infnts and Children-Experient What is CA' Castoria Is a harmless' substitut goric, Drops and Soothing Syra contains neither Opium, Morphi substance. Its age is its guarani and allays Feverishness. It Cur: Colic. It relieves Teething Trou and Flatulency. It sSinilates I Stomach and Bowels, giving hea The Children's Panacea-The Mc CENULNE CASTO Bears the Sign The KId You llamj In Use For Over Vft cEuIAUR OMANY. 17 NIUAM 0= Largest Horse and Mule dealer. A large supply nov 'ABCOCK BUGGIES THE GREGTORY-RHEFA MUT Hapr- -esPai~. Lags or e ue ae Special E We are glad to announce that we than ever before for doing all kinds REPARVNA and that we shall be glad to be fav: may have. When needing anythini or phone us in regard to same. All busiuess entrusted to us will to. R. T. Matthes Timely 1I We are Headot Call in and examine our stock< Dreses and Centre Tables. Dressers at actual cost to clear Ncw is the time to get your St Try one of our Felt Mat~resses We have a complete line of Stoves. All guaranteed to giv: We have in stock also -a co Louingest, Our UNDERTAKING D complete. All calls promptly R. W, P1111 ht, and which has borne the signatnre -en made under his per eision since Its infancy. ae to deceive you iu this. 'Just-as-good" are but endanger the health of e against Experiment. 3TORIA e for Castor Oil, Pare ps. It is P-leasant. 1t; ne nor other Narcotie ee. It destroys Worms s Diarrhea and Wind >1es, cures Constipation he Food, regulates the Ithy and natural sleep. ther's Friend. RIA ALWAYS ature of Lways Boght 30 Years Wm. new" a"K 2. LULES, HORSES, BUGGIES. s in South Carolina. v on hand. BEST MADE. RITE US FOR PRICES. LE COMPANY. Janager. - COLUMBIAS. C. eotice. sre now better prepared of 'ORK. red with any work yon ; repaired bring it to us be promptly attended vs & Son. 'opics. iarters for >f Iron Beds, Suites, We have six Cheval our stock. mmner Cots, -tne best in town. Little Dandy Cook Ssatisfaction. mplete line of Bed EPARTMENT is attende3 to. LIPS.