Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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WAR SI 1 i ecapture o f th. Atlanta Kdhor .lournal: See aoiue tiuic ago lu your valuable oolumus a request from a lady that some old veteran give hie experience in the battle of tho Crater, near Petersburg, Va.. July :10, 18?-?, I have waited to tee if some <joe better qualified to describo the j ?scones enacted there on that ?lreadful ? and never-to-bef?rgotteu day, but Slaving waited in vain, I concluded to try tn my feeble way to tell of some ?of the soul trying cxperieuccs of that ?day. also to give one of the closest .ialls I had during my entire period of .service. TVi begin with, thc command to ?which 1 belonged. Wright's Georgia brigade, had about thc 10th or 11th : . )f.July, IStJl, bern ordered to take ?iof.ition on thc breastworks, where the jerusalem plank road crossed thc works:, nearly, or quite, south of L'etechburg, and afterwards was moved a. Little farther to the right and across ?thc read, and then still farther to tho eight until we were about one milo tVou* tho above mentioned road. A? L remember, Wilcox's Alabama brigade, commanded by General Saun ders, was on our left, Mahonc's bri - ??ade on our right. These three bri gades, Mahonc's, Wright's and WU-, cot's, were the ones detailed to re captare tht works. Wright's brigade bad no general .^Sccr in command, but one of the C/faoels, I forget which, was in command. We were ordered up about 2 o'clock that morning and placed in position behind tho works, jast a few steps in front of where we were lying under our bush arbors, and after being there some time most of us had slipped back to our arbors to ?natch another snooze, when just after daybreak we were rudely arous ?ed from our poaceful slumbors by a ?horrible trembling of the earth, follow ed by a most terrific explosion, and then by one of tho heaviest discharges ?of artillery and musketry lever heard. We could seo between us and the light .of tbe eastern sky tho smoke of shells as they hurtled through thc air or ?buret in mid air, and it wincd tc us .the air was alive with them, while <thc huzzahs and yells of the combat ants, combined with tbe other hor rible sounds, seemed as if hell had torn loose sure enough. And right ?well wo knew a terrible and sanguinary .conflict was going on and wo expected ?every moment to be ordered into thc midst of it. After waiting nearly two hours, we ?had orders to fall in, left face, an'1, forward. We wero rushed over hill and vale, with sholls screaming over bead and an occasional bullet whist Sing by, and above all thc roar the command, "oloso up, men." Finally ?we reaohed the Petersburg ice houses .directly in the rear and about one-half (mile from the crater, where wo halted ?ta let the roar eatoh up. Then for ward again, up a zig zag path out .round the hill and toward the front, jwith the wounded filing out, some on stretchers, some walking, somo lean ing on sticks or guns improvised as crutches; others being carried in blan kste by four comrades, and all unit ing in telling us boys "it's tho worst place you over saw. You'll nevor bo able to retake it." The groans and cries of agony, and the sufferings of those poor fellows wo were obliged to pass, was enough to dicken the hearts of the bravest among ?u.a. When we got to tho top of thc hill where wo oould peep over the ditch and Bee tho works, all wc had heard soemed verified, for the cap tured works were bristling with bat tle flags and from the number indi cated a strong force, but nothing ? tua ted, on wo pushed. About this time Mahono's brigade, whioh was in front of aa, was ordered to charge, and right.gallantly did they respond, and ajthough met by a withering fire from the ditches as well as from tho Yan kee breastworks about 100 yards away, tShey .precipitated themselves on the Coe with such a determined rush that they wero in tho ditohes before the enemy were aware of it, and captured hundreds of prisoners and mado them selves masters of about one-half of the .captured works in a few min ?tes.", '. X?f^Bet me say right here that was tfhe of tbe most brilliant charges made aauVrog the war and against much greater odds then are often given in bietory. Our regiment, the Sixty fourth Georgie, commanded by Oap tata Pritcbott, was in front of the bri agede, and had to file tight up a ravine behind the works before we oould ff ?rm in line. Here we lost our colo rai, John W. Evans, who. whilo not .va duty, would go into the battle with qr*. Ile jumped* up on the bank of the ditch and was waving his hat and itheeriog when ho was shot and in / /t?rtaoily killed. As ITO went rushing up the ravine VRIES. e Crater A.gain. Journal. I the prisoners came pouring tlown the hill from the breastworks, and some one shouted (I never knew who) to "carryout the prisoners," and most of Company K, tho one to which I belonged, started out, when General Mallorie, who commanded thc division, called to Captain Pritohett. 1 ran and told him General Mahone waa calling him and as he turned and ran up General Mahone ordered him to take the regiment up to support his brigade. Captain 1'ritchett rushed oil, but ran a little too far to the right and jumped into the ditch, which was full of Yankees, and was cap tured, as was Lieutenant Morn, of Company G. I was close behind them, but seeing the danger in time dropped down be hind a little traverse about 'A feet high. Glancing around I met a sight that was enough to appal the stoutest heart. Tho ground just in my rear seemed to be swept clean by the storm of shot and ?hell across it from every direction, and I did not stop to think, but bcgr.n to tire and load as rapidly as 1 possibly could, when just as I raised up on my knees for a fourth shot over the traverse in my front a bullet cut tho hair just back of my right ear, coming so close that lt burned the skin without breaking it. Of course I ducked my head and felt for blood, and was relieved to find none. Soon there was a shout from tho Virginia hoya just a few feet to my left: "Look at those d-d negroes over there!" and looking hastily up I saw the barrels of several guns. Just overhead, aimed at the Virginians, who greeted the holders of the guns with a quick volley. I found that place a lectio too warm for comfort, and by a quiok somersault threw my self into a partly sheltered nook in tho ditch below me on my left, but soon found that I was the target of nome I Yankees about twenty or thirty feet j down the ditch, so with a plunge was I across in the ranks of the Virginians ! in comparative safety. Here I had j leisure to look around, and beheld thc death cf many a brave man and officer who rushed, as it was, into the very jaws of death. Here Captain Craven, Company A, Captain Buren, Company I, from Co lumbus, Georgia, with Lieutenant Captain Boer, also of Company I, were shot down and their bodies literally riddled with bullets; whilo Captain Joe McKee, Clark Rifles, Third Geor gia regiment, and Sergeant Ben Lid don, Home Guards, from Morgan County, wero instantly killed with hundreda of othor bravo boys, whose lives were sacrificed; but not in vain, for the works were held stubbornly by our men and for nearly two hours a constant fire was kept up on both sides, and loaded guns were cooked and with bayonets fixed, were thrown over the embankments, and every thing to make the plaoe dangerous as well as unpleasant to hold. Later in the day about 1 o'clock, the lack of water became apparent; for with the stench of bartle in our nostrils and the scent of blood all around us, (for the ditches were full of dead negroes and Yankees) and a hot sun over head, our thirst grew almost intoler able. A great many, myself among the number, crawled back to the ravine for water, but thc springs wer?* so crowded that the water was mudded so as not to be fit to drink, while the branch was filled with dead and wounded, and there was nothing to do but wait and take chances to fill canteens. There being a lull in the firing, we lay down and waited. While waiting Saunder's brigade came marching up the ravine, and took position further to the right, and justin the rear of where the works had not been recap tured, and about 4 o'clock orders were given for every mau of the Virginia and Georgia brigades to go up to the works, and when two mortar guns, whioh were being oarried up the hill, weto placed just on the right of the recaptured works, should fire two rounds eaoh, and when Saunder's men were seen coming in sight up the hill on our right we were to yell with all our might, and fire our guns as rapidly as possible? whether we saw anyone to shoot at or not. The instructions were oarried out to the letter and from the time that Saunder's men carno creeping np the hill till they were in the ditohea with the works in full possession of our forces seemed but a very fe IF min? utes, and the battle Of the Crater was over. Now, all these things happened much more quickly than it takes to desoribe them* I will dose by quot ing Corporal Jessee Heese, of War renton, Ga., of the Twenty-second Georgia, who made use of the expres sion io your columns some time ago, as well as in Jackson hospital. Rich mond, Va.: "The Crater was a little the hottest place while it lasted I ever got into. John O. Hilscuan, Co. K, filth Ga. Regt. OlK'UKEAT LEE AT HIS MEST. (Richmond Times.) I distinctly recall the famous place and the memorable conditions sur rounding the great soldier when I saw him the first time. I was then a fairly observant youth, in my twentietu year, a period at which wo are apt to re ceive and retain vivid impressions of any noted event or famous personage, personally seen and known. As one grows old there is a commendable ten dency to indulge a reminiscent mood. As a matter of blended fact and senti ment, most of us like to look back and lovingly dwell on the pleasant and the notable things of tho psst in which wo were actors. At times I am given to suoh moods of tender and patin tic, sober and serious reflections. Then, over the kindly stretch of nearly two score years I would call up in proud est memory the fadeless portraiture of that manly, heroic figure, so firmly and gracefully seated on his noble, trusty steed. In recalling my first view and impression, I take it to be well within thc province of this sketch to state the place, circumstances, en vironments, as they were all quito re markable, now forming illustrious pages in American history. They also help to depict to some extent the grand character of ono of the greatest soldiers of the past two cen turies. It was about noon of September 17, 1802, at Sharpsburg, during the terri ble, sanguinary and indecisive battle of Antietam. Here I PrBt saw Gen eral Robert E. Lee, riding along the firing line. He was inquiring for Gen eral Jackson. I heard him make the inquiry of several officers. I was so j impressed with the noble bearing, the stately appearance of the man, and his good, substantial mount, that I was induced to ask an officer near me if he was not some general officer. I received the prompt reply that the dis tinguished-looking man was no less a personage that General Robert E.' Lee. I had thought before I put my question that he was one of our gen erals, but I had no idea he was our great commander-in-chief. He wore no sign of his exalted rank. His good, gray uniform displayed no oma- j menta of any kind, including the high grade of his official position. Still the personal appearance of such a well-developed, manly figure was im posing and attractive. I was not so greatly surprised at being informed that the dignified, commanding-looking soldier was R. E. Lee, but I was surprised and felt quite uneasy that he should be where he was likely to ho struck down any second. I so expressed ?myself, at the same time remarking that I did not suppose General McClellan was in a mile of the battlefield. It is not generally the rule that the comman der-in-chief advanoes with his mon under a terrific, sweeping fire of rifles and musketry. His subordinates, from brigadier generals down, are ex pected to do this, and, occasionally, his major-generals lend their assuring presence in a hot and doubtful strug gle. I readily recall two gallant old brigadier-generals-Paul Sommes and M. D. Corse-that I had the honor to serve under, who always led their men in any and every general engage ment with the enemy. So it came about that I first saw General Robert E. Lee, to know him, at Sharpsburg, September 17, 1862, while the great battle of Antietam was "in full swing;'* while it was raging; while some 120,000 men were making the gamest fight of the nine teenth century, not "excepting Water loo, whioh, in some respects, resem bled Antietam, but with very differ ent results, Napoleon being defeated and leaving the field with a badly routed army, Lee, with his heroio army ocoupyiog and resting on the field of battle, the entire day after battle, and then the night of Septem ber 18th, retiring deliberately, and in good order, carrying all his guns and baggage. When I saw General Lee he looked firm and resolute, perfectly self-poised, confident, dignified. He evidently felt that his 39,000 veterana could hold the field and oarry it over the 80,000 men composing the Federal host. I saw our great Lee at his best, with the light of battle in his eye? heroism in every feature. It waa during the most eritioal and trying part of that most desperate day, when the deadly, bloody tide of dubtoua confliofc wat fiercely, turbulently eb bing and flowing; when the red vin tage of human gore flowed ia norn* fields and apple orchards; in open hollows and on wooded slopes; often blushing the pure waters of the mod" est streams and staining tie shapely leaves of tho sheltering forest. On this terrible, thie ensanguined field, at midday, the struggle for suprem acy was most eventful and uncertain. It could not bo told where the bird of victory would fold ita weary and tri umphant wings. It was here "tho red badge of courage" flaunted its; crimson hues over all the fair faco of peaceful nature. It was hero that knightly deeds fir outshone tho mythical splendor of that vaunted time "when knighthood was in flow er." it waa here that "captains courageous" only emulated the superb courage of their meo, each and all bravely doi-jg amid so many heroes dead And dying. And it was here and then the heroic manhood of Robert E. Lee was tried and tested, and found '-?quill to the emergency of holding his battle lines of offence and defence against the powerful enemy. The night after the battle, after tak ing counsel with his generals, he dis missed them with the words: ''Gen tlemen, if General McClellan wishes to fight to-morrow, we will give him battle; see that your commands are held ready. Good night." The Fed eral commander-in-chief did not see fit to renew the battle the next day. Asl take it, upon a fair and reason able estimate, the relative strength of the two armies the morning of Sep tember 18ih would be about 30,000 Confederates and 70,000 Federals. This would beplaoing the Confederate loss at from 9,000 to 10,000 men, the Federal loss at from 12,000 to to L>, 000 the preceding day. In simply stating a situation of fact, now a mat ter of history, I have no comment to make as to the reason entertained by a general with 70,000 men declining to engage in battle with another gen eral who did not have 30,000 available men. The two armies were convenient to eaoh other; they were in plain sight of one another; on the same field they had fought on the day before; there was no long, weary marching neces sary to precede the deadly battle of musketry, the loud thunder of artil lery. But, forsooth, there was no lighting at Sharpsburg or Antietam the 18th day of September, 1862. History will securely preserve the nr.me and fame of Robert E. Lee among the truest, noblest, most peer less soldiers of any age or clime. A Northern historian has been kind and honest and brave enough to write 1 down the great battle of Sharpsburg or Antietam as "a drawn battle." Ia this brief sketch I have only written i of it in a general way, principally to recall the first lime I saw the greatest of soldiers, the noblest of men; a name respected and honored alike by friend and foe, far aod near, at home and abroad-Rober* E. Lee. C. A. R. Richmond, Va. A Brave Drummer Boy. Chester, July 28.-Ex-Senstor J, S. McDaniel of this county, who wac lieutenant in the Sixth South Caro lina regiment of infantry during th< War Between the Sections, has beer for a year or more io correspondent with Capt. George C. Smith of the Eighty-first New York regiment, whost home is now ia Middletown, N. Y In a recent letter Capt. Smith rvritei as follows: "(Ja the 24th of June 1864, Hagood's division charged u in front of Petersburg and they me with quite a loss. I can never forge that afternoon. Among the prisoner wsB a mere boy, a drummer of som South Carolina regiment. Fie hm followed his officers through a terribl oharge. I was on the front works am firing had oeaBed. I stood on th works and this brave little fellow rai up to roe. I stooped down and raise? him over the works. I said: "Yo little rat, why did you come over i euch a shower of bullets.' He said 'Lieutenant, I always go where m company does, and he ran down th traverse with bis officers and yet ha his drumstioks in his hand. I hav often thought I would like muoh t know who the brave little fellow wai You know how things are in suoh time and I could not ask questions It seems to me now that his regimen was the Nineteenth or Twenty-fin South Carolina." If that brave little fellow.is sti .alive or any of his comrades of Hi good's troops recall this incident an the name, Capt. George C. Smith t Middletown, N. Y., will be pleased t have information on the subjeot. Speoial to the State. - In the boiler explosion on tl gunboat Bennington, 49 mon wei killed and 55 were wounded, some < whom will die. The vessel wee lyio in San Diego harbor, California, whe the disaster ooourred. Lieut. N. ??fl Perry, a native of Columbia, was ki! ed. Lieut. Victor Blue, also a oath of this State, wes saved from iojui by having been taken to a hospit the day before, with appendioiti Geo. F. Knox, hospital attendant, ac a native of Laureas was also killey There were 250 men aboard the ah? when the aocident ooourred and mac mea were hurled or forced to jan into the sea by the terrino exploita; whioh lifted part ai the deek. - James R. Gray, editor of the A lanta Journal, aod H. H.' Revi!, representative ia the Georgia legi lature from Mori wether County, bsd fight ot a prominent placo on Pe&o tree street in Atlanta. They we separated before damage, was don The fight eros? over an editorial arl ole in the Journal dealing with M Revi!. - Accordirg to report the Saltt of Turkey is ile have a bodyguard dogs. He hut lost faith in men ai women, who conspire against him/ pack of man-traoking dogs ha? .be< ordered in England for service at tl royal palace at Constantinople. Telling Your Own Fortune. Did the girl ever live who did not at some time want to have her fortune told? The very fact that sensible people laugh at the idea of "crossing the palm" of some old woman, dirty and greasy as it is, ??ith silver, and learning all the hidden things of life, maizes the average girl all the more eager to try ber fate. Young girls have been known to slip away from home in the dusk of evening when the papers announoed that Madame Somebody would spend a few days in town reading palms,to listen in breath less silence tb the vague promises of happiness the impostor told so glibly in exobangc for fifty conto or a dol lar; so it may not come amiss to tell them of a sure and simple rule by which they may tell their own fortunes without the cost of a ponny. Aside from the economy of the plan it has the added charm of "coming true," aodeveryone knows the fortunetell er misses the mark woefully at times. "And how is the fortune tolling to bo done?" some impatient young girl asks. Just sit quietly down and look into your own heart and life in the clear sunlight of truth, and the for tune telling will be easy. No murky atmosphere for this important duty, but light streaming in everywhere to clearly show forth your future. Most girls want to know if they are to bo happy, and that is a very important question. If you are happy now and possessed of a sunny disposition you may set it down that the years toc?me with all their struggles can never rob you of the priceless possession of a good temper, and it is on this Bure foundation that happiness rets. If you are morbid, and everybody slights you now, in your opinion, and life looks gloomy, and people misunder stand you generally, why, unhappiness is your portion now and for all time unless you bring yourself up sharply and mend your ways. Most of us want to hear that we are to have wealth, or at least that poverty will never overtake us. Money is an excellent thing, but there ore finer and better things in life even than money. The young girl who is oontent to wear sensible dresses and hats because her father cannot afford extravagant ones, will hardly live to be dependant on charity after a whilo, for she is learn ing the lesson of prudence and good sense, and it is reasonable to suppose she will never eome to want. But the girl who creates a "scene" if she can not have exaotly what Bhe wants when she wantB it will not have weak ., in the natural order of things. Book less extravagance will clothe anyone in rags as surely aa will idleness, and it would be a foolish fortune teller who would promise wealth to a thrift less person. The subject of health is still more dearly foretold in this kind of fortune telling, for she who eats all sorts of things at all times oan readily predict her own future. If she despises plain, well-cooked food, eats unlimited oandy and pastry between meals, is imprudent about draughts and damp feet, and Bina recklessly against phy sical well-being, she may make up her mind that neither health nor happi ness oan crown her life, for Nature demands her price for every trans gression. The girl who lives in the fresh, pure air as muchas possible, eats substantial food, and wears sensi ble clothing may expeot to enjoy long life; for she is setting her habits to ward that end. And last of all, every right-minded young girl is looking forward to a home of her own in the mist, future. Whether or not she admits it, thc de scription of the f ature husband is the most fascinating thing the fortune teller reveals, and henceforth she dreams night and day of the boro pic tured for her mind's eager eye. When you get to ? the future husband part of your fortune take your self sternly in hand and see if there lurks in your heart a desire to marry aman to reform him. If you have r,0 lons of that kind, look carefully about you at tho older women who haye had experience in such matters j and you will haye your future portray ed exaotly. The woman who is strug gling with poverty, a drunken hus band, and helpless children shows jost what every silly'girl may expeot , "There are exceptions to all rules, I hear aoroe indignant young girls say ing, arid that: is a faet. One or two men have gone over Niagara Falls alive, it ia said, but it is still considered rather adventurous to try it. If young giris love the things that are pure and lovely and of good report and hate the vice and evils of the world, thoy are hardly likely to go astray in affairs of the heart. The young woman who carefully phoosee her associates, and refusea^ito be in the company of valg?r; pr?faiie, or intemperate young men will have little opportunity to form an unheppy life alliance. Some of the people who patronise fortune tellers eome out of the pres ence of the revealer of seorsts, so iled, very indignant because they | have .Leard things they did not like. Po rp pa, when you quietly tell your, own fortune, the voioe of conscience j will ?peak disagreeable things ip your ears; but you have the consolation of knowing ?hat you can turn Bquarely about and choquer every fault and failing in your life if you will. To be able to do Chis insures long life, peace, and happiness.-Forward. How to Raise Boys. The traveler had been strrck by the change in the appeamsc? of the farms along the road when he reached a certain neighborhood. These farm?, which looked so much better th? ?? those passed earlier in the day, he was told by one who knew the country, were the property of the six sons of a woman whose home the traveler was then approaching. She had been left a widow with six boys, but she had so brought them up that all had done well. Seeing this notable woman stand ing at her gate, the traveler asked to be introduced io her, and after the usual courtesies spoke of the fine ap pearance of her corny* faims, and of the respect in which they were held, and begged to be informed how their mother had managed to rear her nu merous family so successfully. "Well, sub," said the old lady, re? flectively, "I reckon it was pra'ar an' hickory that did it." She had pray ed fervently and in faith for guidance, and she had not spared the rod. And so she had brought up her boys to hard work and thrift and honesty, to be the pride of her sge and the crown of her lile.-Chicago Inter-Ocean. Insect Pests of Millers. "Millers have a good deal to con tend with in modern times," said A. H. Hull, of Kansaa City. "More than forty species of destructive moths and beetles infeot granaries, some of whioh were only reoently im ported and some have been known as an enemy of stored grain ever since very anoient times. It takes a keen eye to detect in apparently sound wheat the pr?senos of a 'granary weevil,' but if the grains have been stung by it incalculable injury may be done in a short time. Another de-, truotive insect that infests mills is the flour moth, known as the scourge of the flour mill. These inseots ex cel in web-npinning and sometimes mix up so muoh with the grain that the machinery is dogged and mills are atopped for long periods. The Indian meal moth excels in devour ing the germs of wheat, injuring it for seed. A flat little bettie called the 'flour weevil' often makes its ap pearance in flour after it has been barrelled or bagged. They are the worst pests io the milling world that I can think of now, and J. sometimes wonder that the American publie ia blessed wita such excellent flour tn the face of all thia insect opposition.'1 Milwaukee Free Press. The Minister's Revenge. The .v. Thoa. Mason had been set tled in tbs town of Northfield, Mass., for life, says th? Boston Herald, AB be approached 70 years of age the peo ple esme to think that they wested a younger minister. "You want me to give up my flock," he said. "I am old and cannot e?t??y find a new field of ltbor. If my young brother wants to take wy place and you are satisfied, I will turn you over to him for $1,000." The old clergyman's proposition was not considered unfair, and the money was paid to him. Not long after a goodly number of the oitizena were st the poatoffiao, among them the old parson. -Ae.they stood there a ?rover came up with a lot of hogs, which he wac driving to market, and the peop.'e gathered around him. "Friend Drover," mid Mr. Mason, "what do you expect to get for that lot of b?ge?" The drover replied that he ought to get $600. "I have done vastly better than that," said the old minister, ossting a smiling glance around upon his for mer parishioners, a score of whom were there. "Not long since I sold a lot of just such critters-not half so decenl looking as yours are-and I got $1,000 for 'em." - A young man was taking tho civil service examinations and was exasperated at the irrelevance of come of the questions. On* question was. "How many British troops were sent to thia country during the Ameri can Revolution?" The young man nibbled his pen fqr a moment in an noyance and then wrote the answer, "I don't know, but a darned sight more than went back." - If all donkeys had long ears it would be necessary to change the style of msBouline headgear. - Society people make as muoh fuss ^hnut getting married as theat rical people do ia getting divorced. / - You wouldn't know some people had ever been on earth if you didn't accidentally stumble \ on their tomb stones. - A man might give his wife more spending money if oho wouldn't spend so muoh af it on things for him that he doesn't want. Tbe Land of |B m UneecSa Biscuit m * M -ffee Modem W M Soda Cracker H Bounded on the I I .Afor/? by the Purity H /AA of the Snows,- on ]SK MC the by the W ii Nutritious Wealth HI I of the Tropics; on HI BB the "East by the HI Ml Healthfulness of jmt W Scientific Baking j W H on the Wiwtf by the fig H Energizing Power H H of the Mountains. H SH K?TIONA?. BISCUrr COMPANY H ' ^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^