Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Reminiscences of tl)e War==? Written in (90S by B. P. Gregory, Sr. to His Son, W. T. Gregory. (Continued from last week) Now I don't think there was anyfhinnr mrtro nf Infnrncf am 4-Kof When he found himself cut off he took to the thicket and made his way back across the river into Virginia. ( Some of the negroes were captured and never did get back any more. In a few days we left Winchester, . marching South. About this time 1 Burnside was on his way to Rich- \ mond by way of Fredericksburg, with 1 125,000 well armed men. Lee met him at Fredericksburg with 60,000 and fought him two days. Our brig- ' ade did not get in to much of it, but * was frequently exposed to the fire of " the enemy by being held in reserve. 1 On the second day of the fight we ' were ordered to the front right op- ( posite the town, where the hardest c part of the fight had been the day be- * fore. It was open ground from our line to town, and the enemy had noth- ' 1 n OT +A oVtioM tKnmnnKrno f w witaviu vitvmowtf CO XI VIII T IV W ^ view after leaving the town or river. Our men had fairly good protection and it seemed that the enemy did their hardest fighting where we were strongest in works and men. They charged our men here at this point line after line, until their dead were a sight to look at, from town to within ten steps of our men. It was said that right in our immediate front on about an acre there was 600 dead men and on back toward town, about one-fourth mile, everywhere you could see the dead were thick, an appalling sight to behold. These are facts and no exageration about it, I saw it with my own eyes. Some time up in the day down below and to our right and in plain view of us, they made o desperate assault on our men. It was a grand sight to see the enemy advancing on our men in splendid form and flags flying c and the smoke rolling up from their 4 guns. It was an alarming sight to us * as we were looking on and could see 1 their men falling so fast and still e pressing on. I began to think that I our men could not stop them. It is * utterly impossible for me to describe ? my feelings at this point. But a few ^ more steps and a cloud of smoke and ? a mighty roar of small arms, and the x enemy waivered, fled and left the ( field. I could then draw a good long c breath and feel so good. The battle ' was about closed now, and the enemy 1 withdrew across the river that night. Early the next morning I was ordered to take a detail of 20 men and go down into town and see if the enemy had recrossed the river, and report back quickly. I dread this, as I would have to go into main street, which lay parallel with the river. Before I could see the enemy could trap me without firing a gun. But I must obey orders and I advanced watching every point. I saw some Yankees dodge around a corner, and in the second story of the uppusitu uuuuing a iaay was at a ' window motioning us to come. I 1 knew the way was easy enough then. 1 I went at a run to Main street and 1 turned down the street and began 1 halting Yankee stragglers. We did no 1 firing as ^ they made no resistance, ' and we soon had a considerable num- ' ber. I sent them on back to the line 1 and reported and requested more * help as there were many hid in the houses and sellers. I hurried on 1 down to where the pontoon bridge was to cut them off. But they were * already cut off when I got there and 1 the bridge had swung around to the ' opposite bank from us. I expected to ' be fired on here, but we had so many 1 of their men with us that it would be ' imnnasihlA t.O firp #t. no nritVinnt oVi/w?f I ing their own men. I did not remain ' more than a minute or so, and began searching houses and sellers in the 1 lower part of town, and soon got in- 1 to a fearful light with a large dog. There was a seller under a store with i a good many boxes and barrels in 1 the back end. I looked in and heard a .noise among the boxes and thought it was Yankees hiding in there. I placed some men at the entrance and walked to the back end to search among the boxes and the dog made at me viciously. I jumped back, slashing right and left at him with sword, backing as fast as I could until I reached the entrance and he then ran back to his hiding place before I . could shoot him. And I was glad after I got over my frightful encounter with the dog that I did not shoot him, for he too had a right to fight for his We arrived at camp near Winchester ' that night if my memory is right. When I went back to Warrenton my 1 negro John was along with the wag- 1 on tarin and did not know where I ' was until it was too late to come to me. So he went on into Maryland and got cut off from the army over there and was not with the regiment 1 when I got there. I was very much ' worried about it. I did not know whether he was killed or captured ' and I was so much attached to him. But he turned up in a few days. ( home as well as I, and he did it. 'I wondered at the Yankes not killing him before we came. So we went on with our hunt for prisoners %and got a good large number, don't remember how many. After that we moved back into the woods and went into winter quarters. It was about the middle of December, 1862, and getting very *cold. We soon hatf a big snow and one day some other brigade, I don't remember which one, gave us a bad thrashing, and nearly run us out of our camp. I had gotten enough of it and crawled into my tent. I was not fond af snowballing anyway. They were just a short distance from our tent snowballing each other like the mischief and there was an officer about twenty steps from me standing upon a stump encouraging his men. He was side-wise to me, and I saw what a good target he was for another aall, so I stooped down at the front jf the tent, where the snow was .hawed enough to make a tight, hard aall and let drive at him and hit him "111 fVlO Ol/Jn rx-C 1- ? 1 -1 * 1 >?v oiuc ux xiic ni'uu, uown ne went. About the same time some jails were thrown at me and I ran jack in the tent and they went baling on somewhere else. Some two jr three years ago I saw something .n a newspaper about a snowball fight, at that time, at Fredericksjurg and of some captain or major getting his eye knocked out or hurt so as to lose it. All at once that inowball fight flashed into my mind ind my throwing that hard ball and itriking him somewhere on the side jf his head. It shocked me so I :ould not or did not want to read it igain. Could it have been me that hrew the unfortunate ball and hit iear enough to that poor fellow's eye ;o deprive him of the use of it. I lope and trust not. Now there is one little incident hat occurred on the night between he two day's fight at Fredericks )urg. We were on the front line, a ittle below town and our company vas sent out after dark on picket, ust as close to the enemy as we :ould possibly get without being dis:overed, and to fire a house in case he enemy attempted to assault us in he night. The captain was to watch 1 he right end of the line and I the eft, to keep the men from going to ileep, as they had lost so much sleep ind were very tired. This was a paricular point to watch. I was crawlng from one to another all the time, 10 as not to make any noise as they vere placed about five paces apart. I ound one of my .men fast asleep. I 1 voke him up and warned him of his tanger and that it was death someimes to be caught asleep on out-post, >ut it did no good for in a few minites he was snoring almost loud rnough for the enemy to hear him. knew we were going to get back >efore it was light enough to be seen, io i wokc mm again and took him >ack a few steps, placed him behind i small house and covered him up vith his blanket and told him to get i good sleep. About first appearance >f day we slipped back to our line of jattle and I was sure the Yankees vould get him and I would not be lothered with him any more. But ifter good daylight he walked off belind the house with his blankets all iround him to the ground, and when [ saw him coming he reminded me of i woman at a distance on a cold day, ill wrapped up. No doubt the Yankees thought so too, or he would not ionic back so slow. But everything iurned out all right, anyway. He thought I did it to favor him and said ;o me when he walked up, "Lieutenmt, you gave me a good sleep last light." I told him to say no more lbout it or he might get us both n^A f T ? ?11 1-2 ? uvu wtuuuic. x wuin tan 111s name for he has some Rood kinfolks over where I was raised and I did not vant to see him punished as he was getting old. He turned up sick he next morning and I don't remtmier what became of him. He would iot fight and was not fit for any oth;r service in the war, and such men were more in the way than they were worth. Now everything was quiet along the line and I sent up an application for a 30-day furlough to visit tieme, as I had been in the war about 21 months and had never been home md it was granted. I went home and had a good time. I had grown op so as to look more like a man than & boy, as my mother expressed it. [ returned to camp after the expiration of my furlough feeling greatly improved. Now I am lost. I can't call to memory just what we did after this, but I think we went down in below Petersburg and stayed down in that part of the country a good while. We had now left Lee's army for a good long while and we had no hard fighting to do, but a great deal of hard marching to do from one point to another, and occasionally a skirmish with Yankee cavalry. There was a strong force of Yankees down at Suffolk, Va., some twenty miles or more below us, well fortified. We went down there and stayed a few days and kept them in check while our wagon trains were gathering in the supplies around through the country. While there one night out < company got orders to go as close tf i their forts as we could get and di)| 1 pits and open fire on them next < morning as soon as we could see. i About daybreak we saw them look- i ing over our way and it at once got 1 up a stir among them to see some ,? banks of fresh dirt on a hill in front j of them. But it was a little too | foggy just then to see how to shoot i well and we waited awhile and let < them get a little careless and then we ] let fly at them and hollowed to them, J "Rats to your hole." We kept up a 1 constant fire for an hour or more, s doing them up pretty badiy, but they were giving us shot and shell all the < time, but we fired on them so fast i they could not do much but tear up 1 the ground behind us. We had some < fine marksmen that were directing | their fire all the time at the cannon- i eers, one of the best things to do i when fighting artilery. Now in about!. an hour or more they had enough of 1 his and I soon saw a line of men ' long enough to lap around our short J line three or four times. I saw at ! once our situation. > It was level i ground for one-half mile back and ] no protection except a few stumps i about one hundred yards behind us, ] and I knew we were going to have to i get back from there or be flanked i and captured. I was on the left and I Captain Lyle on the right. I called to him and told him they were pre- s paring to flank me. He said, "Hold s as long as you can and let's fall back t to the stumps and we will give them s hell." About that time they began s on us with a long h?avy line of skir- a mishers. We gave them a few shots 1 and fell back to the stumps and then a we had it right for a while, but we c finally whipped them back, but if it a had not been for the stumps for us c to get behind it might have been dif- c ferent. But we lost a few good men, f I don't remevnber the number, but we r hurt the enemy a great deal more c than they did us. The ground was a level and open and we could see what c we were doing. The next day we , went back to the camp on the Nota- t way river and everything quieted s rlAUm /AI? 1 ~ *1 uvwu AU1 a llHlg Willie. I About this time there was a great ^ deal of smallpox about and we were r vaccinated and I had a bad arm s caused by blood poison. It was sev- 1 eral months before I was fit for duty ' again. I suffered a great deal ana * it looked as if I would lose my arm at one time, but I pulled through. ^ I was getting to be pretty tough by r this time. By this sickness I got 1 out of some severe fighting or prob- * ably I would not be here now. If my memory serves me right the * next campaign was in Tennessee, ^ from Chattanooga to K noxvip^. * which began in November, 1863. Longstreet's corps went out to re- ] inforce Bragg near Chattanooga. We j were stationed very near the Lookout ^ Mountain. Whil there I went on the ^ top of the mountain and could see j part of several states, so said. It j was the best view I have seen any- j where. I looked all day from Point , Lookout, as it was called, until late ( in the evenintr fon SnnHnvl nnrl ?,, ? 1 was good dark when I got to camp, , almost broken down. I was so weak ( in my knees from stepping down so ( much that I could hardly -walk when ( I got down off the mountain. I will never forget that and my experience is that it is not so tiresome to climb | a mountain as it is to walk down. ( The Yankees here took great delight in throwing or firing shells over ] among us and it was not a very de- ( sirable or pleasant camp. A live man, or one that can hear reasonably well, j can't sleep well in such a noise as a shell makes when it explodes and scatters its fragments around about. One evening it was raining a little and there was a large old log stable ] near us, and several of us had gone in there to cook. We were tired and hungry. Our wagons had been cut off by high water a day or two and | we were out of rations and misera- ; bly hungry. Our fires from cooking I made a big smoke, and they knew ; pretty well what was going on among us and they began shelling us, but j their shots were going high up and i beyond us. John was down on the ' ground upon his knees making up , dough on an oil cloth, as we had no j trays. I could see he was getting nervous and I took a seat in the door to keep him from running out. I ; had not sat down more than a minute before a shell hit the roof and burst at the same time, scattering boards and trash around, and weunded one man badly in front of the door three or four feet from me. That was more than John could stand. With one mighty leap he went over me. I called to him to come baok, but there was no use to call, for by this time he heard more shells, and as he had gotten to a smooth levfel, was running something like the fight of a buzzard before a windy cloud. I was mad then, but I went to picking the trash out of the flour, for it was a mess, suitable only for a dog now, but I did not think it so bad then, as it was my ration for three days. I began to direct my thought upon the Yankees for shelling us just at that time, and as well as I can remember not one single word of mine was complimentary to them. But th< shelling ceased by dark and John re turned looking very sad and humble t8 if he had just heard some bat news from home. I had by this tim< gotten over my bad humor and lift was too precious then (and should b< so now) to while it away in madness 1 wanted a laugh, so 1 began brag ging on John about how well he hat stood the shelling up to the tim< 3f the bursting of the shell on th< roof, and had escaped all danger and then run. I told him everybodj had laughed at him. He said, seed nothing to laugh about when den Yankees dun shot the whole top of 3e house, and I hear dat man holler stnd maybe next shot knock down d< house. Dey neednt be laughin at me iey would run too, if dey was a nig ger UKe me. And more dan dat Marse Pick, I heard you say a gooc run was better dan a bad stand, and just let mc cook your rations up ant let me go back to the commissary wagon and stay with it, I will keep fou supplied with plenty to eat." 1 agreed to thpt, and he kept his promise throughout the Tennessee campaign faithfully. I remember weighng myself at the end of that campaign and I was astonished to thinly 1 had grown and fleshened to be i man weighing nearly 170 pounds. 1 lave never weighed so much since. There was a bend in the creek iomewhat in the shape of a horseihoe. Our line extended all around his bend and the enemy along the ihort points, and we wenated the ;hort way so as to shorten our line tnd at the same time strengthen our ine with more men. Our regiment ind one more were ordered to cross iver in this bend one night after dark ind take that part of their line. We, >r I myself, thought it would be an ;asy job, as they would not be exacting such a move by us in the light. But not so, as we soon found ?ut. We crossed over the creek with is little noise as possible and formed tur line and began advancing and cot very close up to them before hey opened fire, and all at once uch a long line of bright fire light rom their guns and we had a terri>le rattling and flashing for a few ninutes, and the whizing of bullets )?vuicu mure ternuie in tnc ni^ht han in the day time, and they were nside of good breastworks and we mew it, and from all indications they vere going to stay there, and we vere not long in getting away and nade a good deal of noise in getting iway, too. Our loss was pretty leavy for so short a time, but if it lad been in the day time it would lave been terrible on us, for they vere very strong at that point and 10 doubt expecting just such a move jy Us. This was the only fighting ve did near Chattanooga that I can emember. We soon after this left Bragg's army and went in the direction of Knoxville, and in a day or two got in sight of a considerable sody of Yankees and began skirmishng with them and they' began falling sack to some good position and when we got up with them they would fight us a little and retreat, and kept this up all the way back to Knoxville, where they strongly fortified themselves. But. wo out thorn off or that they would have to surrender >r fight in a few days. But Brass's army was defeated at Missionary Ridge about that time and the Yankees were coming on after us, and wc ;-ould not contend against the two armies at the same time, so wc moved on toward the east, where wc :ould have a better chance for food and to go into winter quarters, for it was getting cold. (Continued next week) SAFER THAN CALOMEL. Dodson's Liver Tone at Nicrht Wil Straighten You Out by Morning Caiomen May Knock You Out of s Day's Work. If you are a calomel user, nexl time you are tempted to buy it ask your druggist if he can absolutely guarantee the drug not to harm you He won't do it because ho CAN'T dc t. But here is a perfect substitute for calomel which the druggist does guarantee?the famous Dodson's Livsr Tone. The Rice Drug Company will refund your money without question if you are not thoroughly satisfied. Go to The Rice Drug Company whom you are acquainted with?anc find out about the great number oi people who are taking this remarkable remedy and feeling better keener, healthier and better able te enjoy life than they ever were wher taking calomel. Why? Because calomel is a poisor ?one that may stay in the system and while seeming to Benefit yoi temporarily, may do harm in the end If you haven't felt these ill-effects so far, it is because you are fortu nate enough to have a strong con stitution. Don't take the risk any longer. Ge a bottle of Dodson's Liver Tone ff?Or>' and note how easy and naturally ii corrects all bilious conditions, how l clears away that sick headache an< coated tongue, how it sets you righ Without ache or gripe. The most won deriul thing in the world for con alipation. I All this without the slightest inter tyrence with your regular habits. We know some folks who haven' sfnse enough to ever get brain fe * '1&' Have You Tried i The Parcel Post? I I fob c Drop In and See Our t Splendid Stock. BUY AND TRY! 1 ; Legal Blanks Job Work Fountain Pens Bibles Testaments Fancy Stationery Always in Stock TDU riiune or write youi order. We will send by return Parcel Post, THE UNION TIMES ESTABLISHED IN 1850 NEW PARCELS P0S1 Will Require Thousands More Employes The United States Civil Service ' I :n ? :? n win require me appointment oi ap proximately 35,000 employes during the coming? year. The opportunity for positions ir the Civil Service were never better Civil Service positions are desira ble because the hours for work art not too long, salaries are good ant , certain, and promotions are frequent The greater number of appoint ments will be made in the Post Office Service paying from $600 t< , $1,700 and more per year, the R. F. D Service, paying $1,100 per year t< standard routes; and the Railwa; Mail Service, paying from $900 t< 1 $18,00 per year. If you are an American over II , years old and can read and write yoi ' can make sure of appointment to on< of these positions by study of an I C. S. Civil Service Course. i -Tlicf vl' o?w1 muil Vi^ /iAiin/vn !-?* ? vmljv Ilium UIIU iiKt.il i lie V.UU jJV/II UC , low and we will send you booklet giv ing names of I. C. S. students who an ( holding Civil Service positions a ! pood pay. We will also tell you hov you can enter this most pleasant am profitable employment. Pleasant work?good salaries?po sitions for life. Mark and Mail This Coupon ' International Correspondence Schools Box 1238, Scranton, Pa. - Please explain, without further : obligation on mv part, how I can quaniy ior tne tjivil Service position before which I have marked x P. O. Inspector R. F. D. Carrier > P. O. Clerk Stenographer i Mail Carrier Bookkeeper Inspector Typewriter Immigrant Ry. Mail Clerk Inspector Ry. Mail Weigher Guard Tagger Janitor Messenger , Gauger Elevator [ Storekeeper Conductor Asst. Weigher Apprentice Sampler Skilled Laborer , Pressman Carrier i Bookbinder Depnty Officer i Compositor Watchman i Name I St. & No. j City State Present Occupation t I S Notice of Final Discharge. i State of South Carolina, i County of Union, t Notice is hereby given that on th 24th day of February, 1913, I will a] ply to Hon W. W. Johnson, Judg of Probate for said county, for - final settlement and discharge as A< minister of the estate of R. W. Sai tor, deceased, t W. D. Sartor, Administer of'Estate of R. W. Sartor, Deceasei January 22, 1913. 4-4t. r ?THE? DIXIE CAFE IS NOW SERVING FRESH MnDCni 1/ nvcTrno nvm uli\ uioicno Raw, Stewed or Fried. Raw Oysters Sold in Bulk. REGULAR MEALS 25c OPEN DAY AND NIGHT DIXIE CAFE Phone 72 PSILLOS & BELISSARY, Props. DR. J. W. SHARP Veterinary Surgeon Will be at HICK'S STABLE Near Postoffice, on Tuesday and Wednesday of eacn week. Examination Free. Guaranteed cure in all cases curable. Specialty of horse and mule dental work. This is of prime importance if you I wish to get the best service from your stock. Call and . see me every Tuesday and Wednesday at Hick's Stable. J. W. SHARP Veterinary Surgeon 47-3mos. , ALWAYS KEEP IN MIND j ; the Old Time Remedy* * t an external ard interi nal Remedy, cures all ; aches and pains 5 HUIET'S - ALL-HEALING LINIMENT 7 DOES IT i TTIK MOMRV SAVVPC ? i m. m. f JJ1VU PALMETTO ;l ii DRUG CO. i I Union. S. C. County Auditor's Notice. The Auditor's books will be open for the purpose of taking returns from January the 1st to February 20th, 1913. All male citizens from 21 to 60 years of age are liable to poll tax, except thase that are exempt under the law. Parties making returns will please state whether they have sold or bought any real estate since last returns were made and how much and to or from whom sold or bought. This will aid the Auditor very much in making up his book correctly. Will be at the following places on dates below: From Jan. 1st to 15th in office. Jan. 16th at Carilsle. Jan. 17th at Santuc. Jan. 21st (morning) at Jonesville. Jan. 21st, (evening) at Jonesvile Mill. Jan. 22nd at Lockhart. Jan. 23 (morning) at Adamsburg. Jan. 23rd (evening) Kelton. Jan. 24th at Buffalo Mills. Jan. 28th at West Springs. Jan. 29th (Wilburn's store, morning) ?,* UV VIVOS Jan. 29th (Estes store, evening) at Cross Keys. Feb. 12th (morning) at Goshen Hill. Feb. 12th, (even'ng) at Sedalia. Feb. 18th, (morning) Monarch Miiis Feb. 18th, (evening) at Otaray Mills. Feb. 19th, (evening) at Union Mills. All parties are urged to make returns or I am instructed by Comptroller General and county board of Equalization to add the nenaltv in case of failure to return. T. J. Betenbaugh, ie County Auditor. ) a McSwain, Watson & Inman J" Attorneys at Law Greenville, S. C. j Practice in all State and Federal Courts.