Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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WAR Sr -A.n A.dventure so E Cr3 To the Editor of the Ncwa?l Cou rier: I lately asked my old Bead and | sohoolniate. Gen. Samue^v. Fergu son, (a Charlestonian, a?raduatc of West Point and a gallanJ?rjonfederato soldier,) whether he Jflrl ever had a hand-to-hand light wn the enemy j during the civil warJwile had been a j lieutenant colonel Jo brigadier gen- j eral of cavalry ?ndernd served princi pally with iiidejpridcnt commands, which were uiobjjp and, therefore, ex posed to exccpj?nal chances of skir mishes and copi?t s at close quarters, and my qu?tion was intended to elicit inforoJTiion on the frequency of such cveinWin our war. Gen. Fergu son they told mo the story which is narratcdjoelow. I urged liim to pub lish it.^but lie declined to do so, on the ^unds that he did not care to spenl/about himself and that the ad venture itself was so extraordinary as to fax credulity. Eventually, on my passing representation that in the interest of history the memory of such /an incident should not be allowed to perish, he gavo me permission to do what I thought best in the matter, and I now use that permission to make publie a very remarkable combat. Gen. Ferguson's story was as fol lows: "Only on one occasion during tho war was I engaged in any affair which can be called a hand-to-hand fight and it came about in this way: "Towards tho close of a winter af tfrnoon in November, 1862, I was rid ing along a country road in Missis sippi, when my horns was stopped by a worm fence built directly across the road, the riders cf which wero heavy logs. I dismounted, hitched my ; horse and tried to throw over tho rider , of the panel which barred my way, but tho result was that the whole fence fell, carrying me with it. On rising to my feet I was suffering intense pain and found my right arm broken. My first object was to get to my horse, who was on the othersidoof the fence. After following the course of tho fence for twenty yards I found a pauel , down, went through it, mounted my , horse and pursued my way. , "Finding it impossible to get ade- i quate surgical treatment where I was ] I Boon after went to Charleston and ] consulted the distinguished surgeon, j Dr. Chopin, in regard to my injured i arm. As soon as he looked at it he t said: 'You have had a remarkable ] accident, an anterior dislocation of the radius, which does not occur more than onoe in five hundred dislocations of the fore arm.' This contribution of mine to the higher surgery kept me from duty for three months and, when at the end of that period I was dis charged by tho surgeon, my right arm was so stiff that it could not be bent at the elbow. The bearing of this ac cident upon my adventure will bo ob vious later on. "In February, 1863,3: reported for duty in Mississippi, and was put by Gen. Pemberton in command of a foroe of about ninety irregular oavalry and a battery of six guns made up of detachments from three batteries and commanded by Lieut. Woods, of Bled soo's Missouri battery. The cavalry men had no sabres, some had shot guns, Some pistols, some wore entirely unarmed, aod all were untrained and undisciplined. My orders were with this force to harass tae Federal gun- j boat, transports on the Mississippi j, Oliver. My operations quickly caused D the landing at Greenville, Mississippi, of a Federal foroo, consisting of 1,200 infantry, 250 oavalry and a battery of artillery, all under Gen. Burbage, for the purpose of capturing or driving off D my f oroe. The latter object was easily accomplished; my oavalry was attack ed, scattered and pursued over the level country, and my battery was left to make a perilous retreat by a road following the right bank of Deer Creek, whioh protected in a manner its left flank. A curious episode of that day's history was that 1 saw in the distance my wife's father, mounted on her favorite white horse, captured and taken to the rear by the enemy, with o < being able to protect him. "Alarmed by the exposed position of the battery, I left it and rodo rap idly eastward, with tho purpose of rallying my cavalry and bringing them baok to the support of the battery. I was mounted on a magnificent thor oughbred horse, whioh I had bought in Virginia, and trained in the Bou cher method of jumping, and I was armed with the old-fashioned Colt's army revolver of six chambers. I wore no sabre beoauso my right arm was absolutely useless for that pur pose. In the course of the morning fight t had lost my hat. Soven caval rymen who had stood by me, accom panied me in the ride. We hacVrid den rapidly some distanoe when we saw, one hundred yards in front of us, * party of about ten Federal oavalry ro/iEs. xraordmary as to Xpa?* ulitv. mon.>Wno had got into our rear, had captured some of my men and some negroes, and no?? entirely barred our line of retreat. Tbc alternatives pre sented to mo were uiy Burrender and the loss )f my men and probably of the battery, on tho one hand, and an attack on this opposing force. I chose tho latter, trusting to the supe riority of my horse to he able to force my way through the enemy and to escape. Drawing my revolver and calling upon my men to charge, I rodo straight toward the enemy. My men who, as I have said, wero practically unarmed, failed to follow me aud scattered about, a.id in a moment I was alone, within twenty feet of four of the enemy, tho rest of them having probably scattered in pursuit of my men. I then discovered that these four men had been brought to a stand still in thoir movement towards me by a ditch, which their horsoB could not cross. I halted and wo began shooting at eaoh other aoroBs the ditch, I firing three shots without any result, my aim having been affected by the restiveness of my horse and the condition of my arm. "At this moment my horso sudden ly fell with me, but quickly got up. In the fall, however, my forehead, be ing unprotected, was struck by the heavy rovolvor and I was in a measure dazed by the blow. Rapidly recover ing myself and finding .uy horse stand ing perfectly still I half-cocked my pistol and revolved the cylinder to ascertain how many shots I had left and counted three I thereupon took deliberate aim and fired at ono of the party. My second shot was at the oaptain in command, who immediately dropped his reins and olaspod his horse's neck and the whole party, to my intense relief, rode away at a full | run. Just then I noticed a fifth trooper, who was a little away on the left flank of the above group of four, aiming his oarbino at me. Forgetting that my horse had been wounded I touched him with the spur, when he cleared tho ditch with mo and I dash ed up to and against the trooper, who all the while kept his oarbino at his shoulder directed towards mo and made no sign of surrender. Having but one shot left I was oareful not to fire it until I was touching my adver sary, when I shot him in the mouth, bhe powder burning his faoe and the bullet coming out at the baok of his bead and he fell dead backward from bis horse. It appeared afterward that bis oarbino was empty and that he had probably feared to exohange it for his loaded revolver or his sabre or been :oo frightened to do bo. "The danger in my front had thus jeen removed and, looking around, I law about sixty yards in my rear some >f my men, who were oalling to me. ? -alloped to them, when one of thom said o me: 'Colonel, we have these two uen prisoners, but they won't givo up heir arms.' I thereupon -raised my elf in my stirrups and was about to ?ring my empty pistol down on the lead of one of tho prisoners, when he [uiokly unclasped his belt, with pistol >nd sabre, and handed it to mo. I ras in the aot of buckling his belt vor my own when my horse, without rarning, dropped dead under me; so uiokly, indeed, that I did not with raw my feet from the stirrups. He id not give a quiver and on examin og him I found that he must have een shot through the heart before amping the ditch. "I lost no time in mounting the orse of one of tho prisoners and in onceaiing the wholo party in a cane rake close by. I learned afterwards hat both of the men whom I had shot t aoross the ditoh died; one at Green illo, Mississippi, and the other ono h the hospital ahip going up the Mis iasippi River. "I oanno*. close this story without motioning the remarkable feat of my attery. Abandoned by the oavalry, rhioh should have supported them, hese gallant fellowB fought their way or six miles through the open country long Deer Creek, having that stream s a protection on their left flank and arry to front and right and to rear by rolonge, in auoh fashion that they ot only repulsed every attempt of the nemy's cavalry to capture them, but ecaptured, first, their oaissons and hen their baggage wagons, whioh had een sent to tho rear before they tarted baok and had boen oaptnred by he enemy's oavalry passing round hem.' I have now accurately reported Gas. Ferguson's story. It is for tho reader o. determine whioh. iB the more re aarkoblo, the esoape of Gen. Fcrgu on from tho bullets of his five antag onists or the performances of his torse after he bad been shot through he heart. The sueocBsful retreat of he battery is itself not far short of he marvellous. J. I*. -? Battle of "Nine A%,|foad.M Atlautj0ournaL Becausa#<itfr^the paucity of num bers?B0f& in tbia battle it might nJ?'^interebt many. I only wish to ' ^anow how tho tattered and footsore legions of Lee and Jackson could fight against the odds they had to contend with. This particular engagement was fought with not exceeding one hun dred men, against a brigade of negro troopB on the Nine Mile road. Gen eral Grant was putting forth his best 'efforts to capture the much coveted capital of the confederacy and was rushing strong columns of troops along the Charles City, Williamsburg and Nine Mile road. We had been fight ing along our front and every man had his bands full. ? courier came dash ing up for a section of our battery to report at once to this road to repel an attack from that quarter. Tho order was given to limber up and cannoneers mounted, and we dashed with all pos sible speed, drivers applying lash and spur, cannoneers swinging to guard rods, wheels rebounding. Speed was very necessary at this moment to check thiB advance. We, however, Boon found a position and also plenty to shoot at. I have seen men fight by squads, regiments, brigades and army j corps, but this handful of men had work to do. General Gary in the meantime had oome up to our aid with about sixty men of the famous Hampton legion, and deployed his men between our guns, with his characteristic, sharp, decisive command, to stand by those guns. Theso cavalrymen put up one of the best fights of the war right here, and stayed wi th us till we had repulsed three distinct charges of the enemy. I will here state Sergeant Hill had planted a parrot gun in a temporary earthwork inst to the right of the road. The Napoleon gun was placed to the left of the road, bo as to give an oblique fire down the lines. To the right was a pine thicket and the enemy could oome within about 400 yards under cover of this woods, but we never let up firing, and sent many damaging shots whizzing through this timber. Bat late in the evening the enemy came again with renewed spirits. Barleycorn, deploying their column so as to flank us by lapping around our left, drove us from position. In shooting down the lines this Na poleon gun was oharged with double canister and when the gun was fired I put it mildly to say, "some one was hurt." This gun in the recoil would jump back about four corn rows. They oame over the works and cap tured our guns, but only for about 30 minutou. I being with the gun on the left, ordered the drivers to retire with the horses and leave the gun as we were pressed so tightly, and it proved the proper thing to do in this emergenoy, so as not to use our own guns on us. Now Sergeant Hill being farther to the .right ordered his gun out and had it limbered up when the enemy caught him before getting away, arid clubbed Daniel Holliday off the rear horses. Now, Dan was a six footer aud not to be triflod with. He arose with all his might, grabbed the gun, wrenched it from the soldier's hand and dealt a blow that left one soldier less to fight; then he broke and ran and strange to say, although Burrounded by the enemy, ho made his escape. % The strange part to me has always been that the only casualties with our two pieces was the capture of two men, Cooper and Bets. Sergeant Hill had his horse tied to a sappiing and they never had time to take him off in their hurried retreat. Gallant and dashing young orEcer, Fom Logan, oame up full tilt with the Bampton legion and drove the enemy from the works, reoaptured our guns tnd opened a deadly fire at about 20 aacos. They captured two of the legion, so says aforuer oomrade who was in charge, and bayonetted them. This so incensed tho legion that with he sharp crack of the carbine and dashing sabres flying right and left ve drove them baok into this dense sine thicket, and night coming on is ?hat saved the whole turn-out. Now, in honor of the battle-scarred loldiers that made up this grand army mat stepped forth from oabin and cas do with the courage and refined ohiv tlry that made the Confederate sol lier, as belonging to the grandest family of me iern tinies, shall they be 10 soon forgotten *nd brushed aside for tho heroes of to-day. History is full of sad and tender memories. They have no quarrel ffith patriotism, but the results of patriotism, and in a few more years the sustain will drop and these old heroes prill all pass over the river to join Jaokson and Lee and fill martyrs' graves. James G. Rambbt, Palmotto Battery, A. N. Va. The kidneys aohe when they aro over-worked and the trouble gets seri ons unless promptly removed. Priok ly Ash Bitters is a reliable kidney tonlo and bowel regulator. ?vaui Pharmacy. ? Girls wouldn't mind so muoh if the only thing that got chapped waa their faces. Boy and the Presiding Elder. Anecdotes of preachers being on tap, Hon. John Dougherty, of Mis souri, contributed the following: In one of the - counties oomposing the Third congressional district of Missouri there lives a good Christian lady, a devout and constant member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. Some days before the date of a quarterly conference held there some years ago our good lady friend re oeived word that the presiding elder would be her guest for a few days during the meeting, In order to con vince the elder that ehe had been and was doing her Christian duty in the matter of training her only child, a boy, about four years old, to walk in "the straight and narrow path," she thought it not amiss to give some special instructions before the minis ter arrived. So taking the little fel low upon her lap ono day she told him that the presiding elder, a big and a great man, would visit them soon and that he would "be very sure to ask some questions about your Sunday school, how you like your teacher, etc But probably the first question he asks will be: "What is your name? How old are you? Do you know where bad boys go when thoy die? Now, when he asks vour name, tell him Johnnie Jones. When he asks how old you are, tell him four years old, and when he asks if you know where bad boys go when they die, tell him, using the Soriptual word, that bad boys, when they die, go to hell." John was drilled- on these questions*daily until the minis ter came. In the meantime he knew by rote that his name was Johnnie Jones, that he was four years old and that when bad boys die they go to hell. The minister was a portly gentle man of friendly manner and pleasant countenance. After reoeivicg a cor dial welcome, he was seated in the sit ting room, and the proud parent ex cused herself and sought Johnnie, the pride and expeotanoy of her life, to introduce him to the minister. After John's faoe was washed his hair combed and he was otherwise made presentable his mother led him in to meet the peaoher. As the urchin entered the sitting room he observed through the open door a neighbor playmate sitting on the fenoe whist ling for him and calling him to oome outquiok. Johnnie at onoe grew im patient to go ont and wished the ceremony of meeting the preacher aud answering his questions to be done with as quiokly as possible. The dot ing mother introduced him as the youngest and her only ohild, the baby of the family. The good minister oalled the boy to him and taking his little ohubby hand in his own remark ed: "What a very handsome lad? How like his mother?" His next question was exaotly as had been anticipated. "Well, my little man, w&at is yonr name?" The boyglanoed first up to the minister, then at his waiting play mate, and intending to expedite mat ters as much as possible by answering the three expected questions at onoe, replied, "Johnnie Jones, fonr years old, go to hell," and in the confusion that followed skipped to meet his friend.?Champ Clarke's Cloak Room Stories._ ? In Greeoe, in the third century B. G., the wearing of silk was forbidden to women, the husbands of those who violated the law being heavily fined, on tho theory that a husband onght fto be able to control his wife's taste for finery. ? Diptheria germs survivo at least fifteen years. This has been proved by two esses of diptheria in children who could have oontraoted the disease in no way except through playing with toys that had been Ktored fifteen years in an old trunk., _ The Christ Car We are showing this season arc They are the latest in style) th< msnship, the lowest in pri?e, al We sell all styles Low ifcw See the big stock on my floe Foo) or Knave: "If I am not in error," Misa Daily Peaohblow said earnestly, compressing h or lips in an ominous manner at eaoh pause, "if I aminot wandoring by tbe wayside mentally, you stated a mo ment ago that- Reginald Saoley was a bright fellow." "Well?er-er?I think I did mike some suoh good natured remark," ad mitted Myrta Hapgood. "Why, ion'fc he a bright fellow?' "Well," said Miss Daisy, "he is either a fool or a knave, and I'm quite sure he isn't a knave." "Thea he must be a fool. Thoro's only the fool left. Aren't you rather severe, Daisy, dear?" "Judge for yourself. He was here all Christmas eve, you know?" "Yes. He remained until 12 o'olock, I believe you said." "That's true?four long and weary hours until midnight, and, as you can see, I have this bit of mistletoe haug from the chandelier in the middle of the room." "Of course. Well?" "Well, it was here last night, and during the long and weary hours I naturally happened to drift under it a few times, and he?" "Tried to kiss you, did he? Ha, ha!" "Tried to kiss me!" cried the in dignant Daisy. "What, that bright fellow try to kiss me? Listen 1 Every single time I happened under the ohaodelier he jumped up and down, W?ved his arms in the air like a crazy man and shrieked: "Look out, Mith Daithyl Look outl You're right thquar? under the mithletoe, Mith Daithyl* Bright fellow? Fool? f-o-o-11"? New York World. ? The Boston Journal has discover ed and printed the names and resi dences of 818 couples in New Eng land who have been married fifty or more years. ? Consulting Physician?"Do you think the patient oan stand an opera tion?" Family Doctor?"Can he stand it? Why, my dear sir, the man is a millionaire." ? A man may be willing to admit that his wife knows more than he does, but just the same he objects to her running his business. Dr. Pioroo's Fa~ VGrSis Prescription OouMes a Mother's Joys and HaBvos H or Sorrows* It does this by a pre-natal pre paration in which the mother finds herself growing stronger instead of weaker with each month. Instead of nausea and nervousness, there are healthy appetite, qniet nerves, and refreshing sleep. The mind's con tent keeps pace with the body's comfort. There is no anxiety, no dread of the approaching time of travail. When the birth liour comes it is practically painless, the recovery is rapid, and the mother - finds herself abundantly able to nurse her child. ' "Favorite Prescription " contains no alcohol, neither opium, cocaine, nor any other narcotic. . Sick women are invited to con sult Dr. Pierce by letter free of charge, and so obtain without cost the advice of a specialist in the diseases peculiar to women, All. correspondence strictly private and sacredly confidential. Address Dr. R. V. Pierce, Buffalo, N. Y. " Mrs. Annie Blacker, 620 Catherine Street, Syracuse, N. Yy 'writes: "Your medicines have done wonders for mo. For years my h tilth was very poor; X had four miscarriages, bot since taking Dr. Pierce** Favorite Prescription and 'Golden Medical M-eo-sry ? ! have much better? health, and now I have a fine healthy baby. I h eve recommended your medicines to several of my friends and they have been benefited by them.* Cr. Fierce'p. Pleasant Fe?iets cure dizziness and sick headache. mas riages i the finest things on- wheels* 5 best in material and work 1 things considered, n. ?rs? ??^ JOB. J. FBSTWSLL Winter Proo? Shoes. WE have on band the beet selection of comfort-bringers for cold and tired feet that we have ever carried. Our long experience of ten years Shoo buying has enabled us to select only the best values from the largest manu* facturera' lines. We bought this season in such quantities that we can offer to our customers bette, goods for less money than we havo ever before been able to dp. You will, therefore, not consider that our Shoes are CHEAP Shoes because they are low-priced. The little school fellow will find his Shoes he buys of us the greatest delight of Winter,, excepting his Christmas guns, as Jack Frost will have no terrors for him ; and his parents will find their Winter's worries overcome, as* bur School Shoes protect the purse as well as the feet. There are a few old shelf-worn Shoes in stock that we want to sell at a large discount. They are pretty fair Shoes, but not as j?opd as new?-hence the big mark-down in price. They are yours for the cash only while they last. They can't last long at tho price. REMEMBER WE SELL PLANT?TION SUBFILES OP EVERY KIND. DEAN & RATLIFFE. The Store where your friends Trade. ? When the Leaves Begin to Turn !" IS the time to sow OATS, RYE and BARLEY. Now, in order that you may not come up lacking in harvest time, we have bought GOOD SEED for you, JUST RECEIVED? 3000 bushels Testas Bed Bust Proof Oats, 2000 bushels Ninety Six Bed Bust Proof Oats. 1000 bushels Winter Grazing Oats. Gar Load Bye and Barley. Gould havo sold the above without moving sr.ine for a handsome profit, but preferred to give them to you at a loss, as we. want to supply those that have always patronized us. Recollect the above is only about one-quarter our usual supply, and is all we can get ; so come and secure your Seed at once. Can buy plenty of Kan sas Bed Oats for less money, but they will not do in this climate. ?G0N $ LEBEE?TEE, WHOLESALE DEALERS. A. ?. STMGSLAKD, PEMTBST. OF?TCIi?Front Booms over Farm era aa? J erchants Baak* . Theop>*w*i? cat tUnatratea Oos? tlnnona Gum Teeth. The Ideal Plat*?utore cleanly than the n?ta rai tooth. No bad taste or breath from Plat** of tbifl kind- -% a lois look mum A man thinks it is when the mcifcer of life insurance suggests itself?but circumstan ces of late have shown how life hangs by a thread when war, flood, hurricane and fira suddenly overtakes you, and the only way to be euro that your family U protected in case of calamity overtaking you fa to in sure iu a solid Company iiKe? The Mutual Benefit Life Ins. Go. Drop in and see us about it. STATE A8BNT, Peoplea* Beek BuUding, A.??DBBSONS. G?