Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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WAR SI ITrorn Meciianicsvi S. M. Truitt, in The company in which I served dur ing the four years* war between the North and the South was organized and enlisted in Webster, Jackson County, North Carolina, on the 13th day of April, 1861, and practiced drill ing from that day till the 27th day of tho same month. Tho State of North , Carolina had not yet seceded, and in the meantime President Lincoln had called for 75,000 volunteers with which it was said to put down the rebellion in 30 days. North Carolina was ex pected by Mr. Lincoln to furnish her quota of the volunteers called for. At that time tho excitement was very great, and instead of enlisting to serve in President Lincoln's cause tho young men and a great many men who had v, ives aud children to love and to care for all over the State from the very richest to the very poorest, abandoned their planted crops or quit their places of business and enlisted and organized companies and bid adieu to their fathers and mothers, and sisters aud dear wives and children, aud hastened to Kaleigh and organized into regi ments for the Southern cause. From Raleigh they hastened to the scat of war in Virginia or to the coast of North Carolina. My company was Company A, of tho Sixteenth North Carolina regiment of volunteers, com posed of 13 companies and containing 1,353 men, mostly from the mountain counties west of the I31ue Ridge. P'? >nen Lee, a graduate of Wost l'wut and au old school teacher of Asbeville, was elected colonel of tho regiment. Ho was a brave, refined und nublo Christian gentleman, but on account of his old age und feebleness he hud to resign and leave us in Jan uary or February, 1862. In the mouth of June, 1861. the Sisleeth regiment went from Raleigh to Richmond, and in July from Richmond to Stanton, and from Stanton to West Virginia, and on the third day of August, after a long and wearisome marsh, wo pitch ed our tents on tho top of Valley Mountain and Valley Gap. It rained a great deal while we were camped there and tho regiment lost many men from measles and typhoid fever. Late in November of 1861, under General Lee, wo were marched down Valley River to attack the Federals com manded by General Rosenoraos. We had our first skirmish with them and drove their pickets in. Thore I heard the first cannon roar and the cannon balls whistle over our heads that I had over heard. They were too well fortified acrosB the narrow valley to be routed by our army and wo had to fall back to Valley Mountain. During this time tho Sixteenth was attached to General Gillam's brigade, in the last of November we had to evacuate the mountain and waded many swolen streams btok to Stanton and from Stanton we went to Manaasas. and re mained there a fow weeks and built somo fortifications whioh wc abandon ed in January and went to Ocquoguan Say for a short time, and from thcro to Fredericksburg. At this place in February, 1862. General Joseph L. Johnston and President Davis review ed tho Confederate army of more than 100,000 soldiers, whioh I believe was the grandest army and the best fight ers that ever fought battles on this continent. Then tho army marobed to Yorktown and early in the spring we had to evacuate Yorktown and fall back to Richmond, being followed by tho Federal army. My regiment was at that time in the brigade with Hamp ton's legion and the Nineteenth Geor gia regiment. The brigade was com manded by General Wade Hampton. Just after my regiment had passed by our breastworks below Williamsburg, the Federals rushed up behind on abandoned fortifications and attacked the rear of our army after they had passed the fortifications and wore passing through Williamsburg. My regiment had passed through the town on the road to Riohmond, and stopped and stacked their arms and were toast ing cold corn bread and broiling baoon over the camp fires preparing to take a much needed lunoh. But suddenly we heard musketry mingled with the ! roar of artillery, the regiment was formed into line of battle immediately and stood in eight of the battle in readiness to help if needed. But we saw the rear of our army whioh had been attacked drive the Eederals baok in short order and then continue their maroh towards Riohmond. We camp ed a few miles below Riohmond for a few days. When one day suddenly the drum was tapped and the long roll was sounded. We fell into ranks and made a hurried maroh of a few miles to chore the battle of Seven Pines was raging. The brigade, composed of \ Hampton's legion, tho Sixteenth \. Worth Carolina regiment and the IK^neteeth Georgia, rushed into the Mging nnd roaring battle. ' 7<?j t?gimont, the Sixteenth North DRIES. lie to Meivern Jbiill. Atlanta Journal. Carolina, charged through an open field under heavy fire of musketry and artillery to the edge of a marshy swamp. Just bejond the swamp and about 100 yards in front of us were tho Federal fortified lines of infantry and artillery playing upon us and we could not charge- them on account of the miry swamp which Jay between the two opposing lines of battle. Under thin disadvantage wo fought them behind their fortifications for about three hours, when the darkness of night oamc upon us ami we w>to quietly withdrawn from that battle field which was the first great battle in which my regiment up to that time had an opportunity to bo engaged in. ri no regiment lost many of our brave men kiilcd and wounded, among whom v as our brave commander, Colonel Davis, killed. General Joseph E. Johnston at that time was commander in chief of the army in Virginia and was wounded in that battle and while he was wounded General Robert K. Leo was given command of the army and was commander in chief of our army till the war ended. This battle of Seven Pines was fought tho 31st day of May, 1862. After that time wo remained in camp in rear of our line of breastworks along the southern Banks of the Chiokahominy River, which was fronting General McClelland's fortifi I cations along tho northern bank of the Chickahominy, till tho evening of June 25th, when tho Yankees gave us a shower of shells and a very close call for a squad of a half dozen of the boys of ray company, who wore play ing cards at the foot of a largo pino tree when tho shelling began. The shells came thick and fast and wero cutting off tho limbs oT the trees. Just then the boys who wero playing curds bocamo more interested in the exploding shells and quit playing and left the deck of cards on the blanket where they had played for hours. Id a minute after they had quit playing and had separated a she" came along and out off the branch of a tree, then buried itself about six feet in the ground, exaotly under that blanket, then exploded and blew up the blan ket and left a hole in the ground where the blanket had been lying. The regiment and brigade were imme rr adiatoly ordered into line and \ marched that evening and until night a few miles up the Chickahominy, to the left of where we had been station ed, and stopped in a dense woodland during that night and the next day, whioh was the 26th of June, till 12 or 1 o'clock. My regiment in General Fender's brigade and with General A. P. Hill's division were quietly march ed out of tho woods into the.roar1 a few hundred yards this side of ?e bridge over the Chickahominy River. We drove the Yankee pickets away from the bridge and crossed over the river and marched up that road along by the side of a little branch till we passed the spring and to tho top of a lot" hill in the middle of a field and in plain view of the enemy's line of for tifications, which were about four hun dred yards in front of us. Our bri gade was quiokly formed Into line of battle across that field under heavy fire of musketry and artillery. We charged aoross the field to within about seventy-live yards of the ene my's fort:fied lice, when again we found a little miry swamp lying be tween our line and the Yankee line which we oould not charge over. When we oould advanoe no further an order passed uiong our lines to lie down, whioh we did, and loaded and fired at them till the darkness of night came upon us. There I had my first close call and a hint to the wise. My left hand comrade, who was an old schoolmate- of mine, would not lie 1 down. In an instant several of the boys saw him alone, standing aud offering himself as a target, and yelled at him to "lie down or you will ho killed." I turned on my side and looked up and said to him: "Lie down or you will be killed." At that moment a ball pieroed him through the heart. I was looking in his face when tho ball struck him. For a mo ment or two he stood erect as though he was on a balanoe and as if nothing had happened to htm, then suddenly, with a beautiful natural smile on his face, he loal his balanco and fell on his back dead. Boon after dark had hovered over that battlefield and all beoame quiet along the line my regi ment was moved along the line to the right into a woodland mid rested on our arms till daylight next morning, the 27th day of June. We expected the battle to open and oontinue that day on the same field, but to my sur prise when morning came aii was quiet along the Yankee lise? exoopt a few stray picket shots. During th? night and the early morning the enemy had quietly cvaouated their fortifications aud were retreating. The killed and wounded of my regiment in that day's battle were many and greatly lament ed. Soou after the break of day wo moved further to the right into an open field close in front of the Yankee breastworks. All over this field wero many doad and wounded of an Ala bama brigade. We then advanoed in line of battle and went over their abandoned line of fortifications. They had heard that Stonewall Jackson was coming in their rear and they hasten ed to retreat and dodge him. We soon formed into line of maroh and pursued them thiough their evacuated burning camps. About 2 o'clock that day my regiment and brigade were formed into line of battle at the place that scon became the battlefield of Gaine3' Mill. My company was de ployed and sent in front of the regi ment as skirmishers. Wo had not advanced very far when we met a solid lino of blucoriat.Mi ad vancing and supported by another solid line a short distance in the rear of the first line. My company fired into them and fell back. They did not return the fire at us then. We fell back before them out of one field and through a woodland and into an other field, and in the middle of this field we met and passed through the rcat' of a solid line of our men advanc ing to meet them in the middle of that field. Just us my company, as a re treating line of skirmishers, passed through to the rear of this solid ad vancing lino the rebel warwhoop min gled with a mighty volley of musketry was sounded all along the line and at the same instant the Yankees return ed a soiid volley into our ranks. We went a little distance to the left to where we had been sent away from the regiment as skirmishers and found the regiment in* a mighty shower of balls. We took our place in line with the regiment which was then starting to charge. The fight was now getting lively and in earnest. This time we had no breastworks to charge, with a swamp in our way. But the two largest and best oppos ing armies that ever met on this con tinent met face to fuce and fought this battle of Gainoa' Mill, fairly and squarely. Our first volley with a mighty rush forward drove them back across the field till we oamo in close contact with their batteries and lines of fresh troops. The battle was waged for hours stubbornly by both armies. We would charge them off the field and several times they eamo baok at us again and again and disputed our possession of the field. The battle lasted till in the night. And just after the darkness of night had come upon us we made a last farewell good night charge and drove them baok more than a mile and held the battle field. Wo got the best of that fight, for I honestly believe that there were two dead or wouuded Federals to every dead or wounded Confederate, and we held the field undisputed after that charge. That night and the next day till late in the afternoon we remained on that battle field and enjoyed a much-need ed rest. Then We fell into line of maroh and marched all night. The next morning about 8 o'clock we stopped and hurriedly enjoyed a break fast of Yankee crackers and bacon which we had captured during the previous day. I had somo genuine Yankeo coffee und I asked my captain and lieutenant to drink coffee with me. They accepted the invitation and whilo we sat on the ground and ate hard tuok and enjoyed the drinking of coffee we talked of the dead and wouuded and their great suffering. In the midst of our' conversation I re marked that it was hard to suffer as many of the wounded suffer and then d?u. But I would prefer being mor tally wounded and have some time in **i wpotG Dr. Piepoe r&gmrti? ing my tsa&o, and roc&Ivod n I endured nearly four years of suffer ing, " writes Mrs, J. I?. Myers, of Washington, W. Va., "caused principally from improper med ical attention after the birth of a child, and female weak ness, resulting in a complication of dis eases. Had a tern hie cough and ai. incessant pain and soreness in lungs. Was redu'.ed in flesh from 184 pounds to about 100 pounds in eighteen months. I had no appetite, and became sc weak and nervous I could scarcely sit up. I doctored with our home physicians for two years with no benefit, I was finally induced to try Dr. Pierce'a medicines. I wrote to Doctor Pierce regarding my case, end re ceived a prompt reply, free, advis ing the proper medicines for my case. After taking ! four bottles of Dr. Pierce's Favorite Prescription and four of his ' Golden Medical Discovery/ three doses each day, also taking one bot tle of Dr. Pierce's Compound Extract of Smart-Weed and some of bis ' Pellets,' I ceased coughing, and am now enjoying splendid health and have gained thirty five pounds in weight. I again feel like my former self, thanks to Dr. Pierce and his ?reat medicines." S?cA women are invited to consult Dr. Pierce by letter FREE. All correspond ence sacredly confidential and all wom anly confidences guarded by strict profes sional privacy. Address Dr. JR. K j fierce, Bu?alo, N. V. ^5 which to investigate myself ami pre pare to cross over the river of life. My captain (his nama was Andrew W. Coleman) replied to me that if I should be mortally wounded so as tc cause my death during the war, in stead of suoh suffering I prefer that my head he shot off right around here (at the same time drawing his right hand under his chin, showing what he meant.) We then continued oar march till about noon of that day. We heard heavy firing in our distant front. We continued our maroh till we came in range of the enemy's stray cannou balls and shells. Then our brigade, commanded by General Fender, was filed out and closed in mass on the right of the road to wait for orders. The battle was raging in front of us and the stray shells made it very un pleasant for us. In a few minutes the command was given orders-to fall into ranks, which we did in closed ??tiaB. The time had come to measure arms with the Yanks again on the bat tlefield of Frasiers' farm. Just then while we were standing waitiug for commanding orders to go forward, ? ; got my second close call. I. was standing with my left arm against my captain's right arm when a stray Yankee shell struck the ground about fifteen yards in front of Captain Cole man and ricocheted and out his head off just under his chin?jast as he bad said to me that morning that he would prefer to have it instead of being mor tally wounded. I did not know any thing had happened. Suddenly, as though I had been dead or asleep, about two minutes after the occur rence I came to life or awoke from Bleep as the oase may have been, and was lying on my back on a litter. My face was smarting and felt wet. I drew my hands over my faoe and tilled both with his brains and powdered skull. I said to th j litter bearer, Hold on, boys, 'et me examine myself and see if I am hurt. I then sprung on my feet and found myself to be unhurt. The first thing I beheld was Captain Coleman, lying at full length with all of his head shot off. He fell forward. The shell had ex ploded just after it struck his head and the pieces of that shell killed and wounded four or five men in the other regiment in our rear. I wiped his brains and blood out of coy faoe and off of the breast of my coat and vest. Tho brigade then formed into line of battle, and wont forward a short dist ance intn u cedar thicket and passed through a, Virginia brigade that was stubbornly falling back and fighting. As soon as we passed through this line the Virginians ceased firing. Then Ponder'a Tarheel brigade rushed forward and gave the Rebel yell and turned a volley of musket balls loose at thorn and drove them out of the woods into a little field and they had an enfilading fire on us which made it the hottest place that I had ever been in. At the edge of the woods beyond the field was a battery that had made it unpleasant for us when my captain was killed. Just as dark was approaching we charged across that field through a storm of grape shot and minie balls and oaptured that battery and shot down many horses which were being brought up to move the oaisona and guns ont of danger of being captured. This battle closed soon after the darkness of night had oom?" upon us. During that night my regiment and brigade remained on the same line from whioh'we had driven the enemy Slightly Disfigured I YES, we have disfiured the Haye but still have *ome Bargains left in? Shoes, Hats, Pants am I am adding on a Stock of? Groceries, Sugar, Try a Barrel of Braneibrd, Clifton or ' pleased. White Wine Vinegar 25c p< New Stock BEFORE ' S ' ;. '- y - '%! ? You will find our assorte Anderson. We have all the L yon want that is up-to-date y< best materials and built right priced, fll?gaut styles at- * BOTTOM i and had taken their battery and were holding it. A short time after the battlo had ended and all was qniet along the line and the night was very dark, a commanding officer wound his way through the bushes' till he was within a few steps of our line and in front of us he halted and mistook our I line of men to be the line of Yankees who had supported that captured bat tery under his command. An ' he gave the command, J 'Hold your posi tion, my brave men, at all hasarda." Our boys said to him: "Who are you?" He answered: "United States Major General Mo--." Some of our boys told him he must surrender i?u he i?iu he wouid not surrender, and turned to ride off. Then several of the boys fired in the darkness at him?then he lit off of his horse md said he would surrender. He was sent to the rear and his horse was confiscated for the Confederacy. Thus ended the career of my regiment in the battle of Frasiers' farm, and my company came out of that battle with out a commissioned officer to command them. Our captain had been killed and the lieutenants wore wounded. Daring that night the enemy fell baok to Malvern Hill, and were form ed into line of battlo and massed their great number of oannons in a strong position on a ridge with a field in front of this great mass of artillery supported by General MoCIellan's whole army of infantry and waited for General Loo and Stonewall Jackson's forces to attack them. Late in tae evening of that day, whioh was the first day of July, our army attacked them by charging' through that field facing a hundred or more than a hun dred firing oannons. Such a roar of artillery I had never before heard and it was nearly all from the Yankee can nons, as our infantry was oharging and our artillery could not be brought to bear upon their line. The battle raged till long after night. They could not bo routed from this strong position, but our army wore themselves out trying in. the face of this mighty mass of belching cannons, and finally ceajed oharging and fell back a little distance. By.the next morning MeClellan had abandoned this naturally strong position, and took refuge under the,; range of his gunboats. Fender's brigade was not engaged in the charge in this- great battle, but was held in reserve and in support of the oharging K?e and waa thus ex posed co the raining shower of shells and minie balle. This series of gre^t battles began at Mechaoicsville and ended thirty miles away at Malvern Hill and seem ed to be enough to end that strife, but it was only the beginning with thvse two opposing Atneribau armies. fcefrtne GQTB> bll&S twin* ds year werk.* GOLD OUST makes thactothes whlto and cleaa without injury to1 the fabric In any way. "Housework Is hard work without Gold Dust" For greatest economy buy our large package. THE. K. K. FAIRBANK COMPANY. Chicago >ut Still in the Ring 1 s Stock considerably the pa?t six wteks, i Notions of all KiiKiN. ; Coffetv and Flour. ?poUees, and I am sure you will be it gallon. IB. BUCHANAN, Maaonlo Temples YOU BUY V lent the largest and finest atest new styles, and whatever m will find here. Built of the ? our Carriages are also right [ PRICES AVcgetoiii?Pfcpata?onforAs slm?atlng OeftodsodRetf ufa-1 ting theStoaacta awlBowb cf I^Cl A N IS - i H II D KL.\ Promolea DigeslioaCheerFu r ness and Rest.Con tatas neilher OpiumJforp?une norMincr^l Kot Harc otic . Varier ?fOUjyS?MUEL?ifi?lER Aperfecl Remedy for Constipa Tion, Sour Stomach, Diarrhoea Worms .Convulsions .Feverish ness and Los? OF SLEEP. Foe Signatur? of NEW YORK. Isgmts and Children The Kind You Have Always Bought Bears the Signatare of AI Ii 1111111 I 11 . i ? )|l)os, s jjyC exact copy o^WSARRET?. s? TMS CXtTTAUR ?MIMIT. ?KW VOR? OIT?. " When the Leaves Begin to Turn I" 18.the time to bow OATS, R\ E and BARLEY. jtfow, in order that you may not come up lacking in harvest time, we have bought GOOD. SEED for you. J?8T REC?8VEO? 3000 bushels Texas Rod Rust Proof OatB, 2000 bushelu Ninety Six Bed Bust Proof Oate, 1000 bushels Winter Grazing Oats. Car Load Bye and Barley. Could have sold the above without moving same for a handsome profit, but preferred to give them to you at a losa, as we want to supply those that have always patronised us. Recollect the above is only about one-quarter our usual supply, and is ?11 we can get ; so come and secure your Seed at once. Can buy plenty of Kan sas Red Oats for less money, but they will not do in this climate. XIGON ft LEBBETTER, WHOLESALE DEALERS I>. a VANDXVKR. J. J. MAJOR. E. P. VANDIVEB. Vandiver Bros. & Major. If you want u fine, Medium or Cheap ggy We can sell it to you and save you money. We have the nobbiest line of Fancy Young Men's Buggies to be found, and want to show them to you. We have a largo stock of "BIRDSELLU and "WHITE HICKORY* Wagons At lowest prices. We sell the PLANO MOWER and BINDER, and want you to sec them. . Your trade appreciated. VANDIVER.BROTHERS & MAJOR. CELEBRATED Acme Paiirt andCementGttre. Specially used on Tin Roofs and Iron Werft of any kind. For sale by-? ACflRE PAINT & CEMENT CO. Beferenee : ' * F. B. GRAYTON & CO., Druggists', Anderson, S. C. A. c. smoBXAm), \ DENTIST. OFFICE?Front Rooms over Farm era and Merchants Bank.. .. The opposite cut 1 ilufetrates Con tinuous Gum Teeth. Tne Ideal Plato?mo>a cleanly than the nsto- : ral teetb. Ko bad taste or breath f 3 m Pia"? of cbta bind ? if* A ! ; ' ; . -, - I "if* A man thinks it ig xA^m th? matter of life insurance suggests itself?but circumstan ces of late have shown how life hangs by a thread when war, flood, hurricane and fire suddenly overtakes you, and the only way to bo eure that your family is protected m case of calamity overtaking you sa to in* sure in a solid Company nfee? Th? Mutual Benefit Life Ins. Go. Drop in and see us about it STATJE AQSHV* PcopW Bank Building, ANDERSON" 8. C,