We had a comparatively quiet night after this hard day's work and slept
pretty well, lying down in ranks behind our breastworks. The rain that
had been falling the entire day ceased during the early part of the
night. We did not make down our beds, nor even take off our
accoutrements; but then we had not done that since the night before the
Wilderness. Next morning, after we had prepared and eaten our breakfast,
the little we had, we were relieved by some other troops, and we were
taken up on the right in and about the Angle; but just as we got there
our troops had made an assault and had gained what they had lost.
Therefore, we were not actively in the engagement, though we were in it
enough to be under a heavy fire, and we had some men both killed and
wounded. I recollect that Lieut. Dick Steedly, of Company G, Bamberg,
who was commanding that company, was wounded while we were on this part
of the line, and others, too, whom I cannot recall.
We remained on this part of the line during the day, being kept in
readiness to go to any point where we might be needed. We were kept
close up to the fighting line, and, while not being engaged, yet we were
close enough and were under a heavy fire during the entire day. We must
have remained at this position that night. Next morning the enemy
seemed to have moved down to their right--our left--and the fighting was
heavy there. We were hurried down to that part of the line. We found a
heavy fight going on, but the Georgians, whom we went to support, were
holding their own, and we were held back ready to support any part that
might give way. The Georgians finally made an assault and drove the
enemy back and followed them closely for some distance. While this was
going on we were lining quickly in rear, ready to move in any direction.
While waiting here Eddie Bellinger and I concluded to "nose around" and
see if we could run on to anything. Rations were now scarce, and
something to eat would go good. Without saying a word to anyone except
Jim Diamond, we walked off in the direction of the front, where the
Georgians were now skirmishing. We soon reached their line and passed on
through to the front. The skirmishing had about this time ceased. We
continued to go on to the front and pass the skirmish line. The
battlefield of the days before was just ahead of us, and we knew if we
could get to where the dead were we would get something sure. Cautiously
now, for we were in advance of our pickets and knew nothing of the
whereabouts of the Yankees. But for something to eat we were taking
chances. We at last came upon the ground where the dead of several days
were lying. We had not searched but a few when heavy firing began on the
right, and we discovered the pickets from outside advancing.
Immediately there was a perfect fusilade on the picket line on the
right. We knew it would extend to where we were and catch us between the
lines. Consequently, we determined to get "away back." We started back
in a hurry, and when the Georgia picket line saw us coming back as hard
as we could run they thought the Yankees were right in behind us, and
they broke. The captain in command of the pickets soon discovered that
the enemy were not making an advance, that Eddie and I had caused the
whole confusion. He rallied his picket line, and by that time we were up
with them. The old man was mad at us and he gave us the hardest
"cussing" you ever heard; but we kept right on back and were soon with
our company. We had three or four haversacks pretty well filled, and it
was not long before Jim Diamond had a fire and had on it in tin cans
sliced bacon and rice, making a pillau. It must have smelt good, for it
was not long before Gen. Bratton and Col. Simms, his adjutant-general,
came up near where we were cooking. Then Col. Hagood, Adjt. Clowney,
Capt. Wood, all gathered near. In due course of time Jim took off his
cans, some half dozen quarts, set them around, flattened out some pine
paddles and invited up the gang. Did they come? You should have seen how
readily they accepted the invitation. Not one of them hesitated in the
least, and the best part was that there was just about enough for all.
You should have seen that crowd after the feast, getting out their
pipes, filling up and lolling back, seemingly perfectly contented.
While upon the field of battle I came upon one poor fellow with his head
completely gone, taken off even with his shoulders, evidently by a
cannon ball. In taking his watch from his waist-band pocket, I felt a
small roll of something. On investigating I found a few greenback bills
sewed up in his waist-band. There were two tens and a five. As soon as
Sid Key knew I had them he was after a trade, and I finally sold to him
for three hundred and seventy-five Confederate.
The fighting had now about ceased along the entire line, except
sharpshooting, which was kept up pretty regularly and rapidly enough to
keep us expecting something at any time. But as the evening wore on
nothing more serious occurred. I guess that we must have remained at
this point during the night--I cannot recollect--but I think next
morning all sharpshooting had stopped and everything on the entire line
seemed to be perfectly quiet. During the morning we were moved, and we
soon discovered that we were off again to meet Grant somewhere else, as
he failed to get through at Spottsylvania, as well as the Wilderness,
and was again moving to his left, still on his way to Richmond.
We held up that night in the vicinity of Hanover Junction, where we
confronted the enemy. We remained here, I think, three days, with the
enemy in front and heavy skirmishing and sharpshooting going on, but no
regular engagement was had here. They made no general advance. I guess
they were about as tired and broken down as we were; and then, perhaps,
Grant was holding up here for more men, as his losses at the Wilderness
and Spottsylvania had been fearful. At any rate, we confronted him here
for the three days, and we, too, rested up. While here one evening Col.
Hagood had the regiment formed and had such orders as these read:
"For meritorious conduct, the colonel commanding takes pleasure in
announcing the following promotions and appointments: Adjt. S. B.
Clowney, to be captain of Company ---- (I forget whether Company B or
Company K); Sergt.-Major O. D. A. Wilson, to be adjutant; Private E. W.
Bellinger, Company E, to be ensign, with rank of first lieutenant;
Private W. R. Brabham, of Company C, to be sergeant-major; Private F. M.
Mixson to be sergeant, Company E, and Private R. C. Kirkland to be
corporal of Company C. They will be obeyed and respected accordingly. By
order of the colonel commanding."
I think I have failed to mention that Darling Patterson, who had been
our color bearer since the Second Manassas, and had been home for some
time suffering with a wound, had recovered sufficiently to return. He
had, however, applied for a transfer to Hart's Battery, but this was
refused until the Battery offered us two men for him, when the change
was accepted. But up to this place, the two men (named Morrison and
Stewart) had not reported to us, though they should have done so, and
did so a short time thereafter, I think about the time we reached
Petersburg.
After lying around Hanover Junction for about three days, and Grant had
satisfied himself that we were there in his front, he (Grant) moved
suddenly to Cold Harbor; and we moved as suddenly, and he again found us
in his front. We went to Cold Harbor in a hurried march. As we were
going down the public road, woods on the right and a large field on the
left, we passed Keitt's South Carolina Regiment, just from the coast,
drawn up in line of battle on the side of the road, we passing just in
front of them. They were a fine body of men, the regiment bearing
thirteen hundred strong--about twice as big as our entire brigade. They
inquired of us, "What regiment are you?" and on being told the First
South Carolina, they jokingly said, "This must be only one company of
it." But, poor fellows, they soon learned how fast members could
diminish.
We moved on down the line to our right and soon we heard the battle open
in front of Keitt; and they were in it for the first time. Many a poor
fellow who had so short a time left his home State in high spirits and
"spoiling" for a fight on this field "bit the dust," but well did they
hold their own and made several most gallant charges, not knowing what
fear was. They did nobly and held their part of the line manfully. We
went on down the line, and it was not long before we, too, were in it.
We must have run upon the Yankees quite suddenly, for, while marching
in columns of fours at a double quick, and passing into a large field
through a double gate, we "filed right," and upon getting distance
enough we left flanked, throwing us into line of battle and immediately
charged. I think this meeting was unexpected by both sides, because, as
we double quicked through the gate, the brigade band was stationed there
and was playing a lively air--perhaps "Bonnie Blue Flag." I know that
was the only time we ever went into a fight with music, and it had the
effect of putting us right into it thick and heavy before we even
realized the enemy were near. It took us but a short time to break their
lines and have them falling back. We had been resting for a few days and
felt like fresh troops. We did not follow them up, I suppose for the
reason we were acting on the defense, disputing their right to go to
Richmond and holding them back. We had no other engagement in our front.
The hard fighting here was in front of Keitt. The Yankees must have
known they were fresh from the coast and concentrated all their energies
against them. At any rate, by night all the hard fighting was over,
Grant was again repulsed, and we all remained on our respective fields.
The skirmishing and sharpshooting, however, was heavy during the night
and all next day, but no more advancing was done by the Yankees. We were
content with holding our ground.
We remained around here for, I think, two days longer with nothing
doing. I guess after these failures to break through our lines, Grant
had decided to make a big circle and had pulled out, and Lee was holding
us till he had located him, when he could again be in his front. The
next place we met him was at Petersburg, but when he got there Lee and
his handful were _still in his front_. The "On to Richmond" was started
on the 5th of May at the Wilderness, and, with fighting every day and
every night, on the 12th of June we confronted and held them out of
Petersburg. I think that in Longstreet's History of the War, in telling
of this great march of Grant's and Lee's skillful manoeuvering which met
and foiled him in some of the greatest and biggest battles that had ever
been fought in any war, Longstreet gives Grant's army at the Wilderness
at one hundred and fifty-six thousand men, with the _world_ to draw
from; Lee at the Wilderness with only fifty-eight thousand, you might
say, regular "rag-a-muffins," in so far as something to eat, clothing,
ammunition and other supplies, and nowhere on God's green earth to draw
men, material or supplies; but yet when Lee confronted Grant at
Petersburg we were as indomitable as the first day at the Wilderness and
loved Lee more. He was certainly now the idol of his men. Longstreet
says that Grant's loss from the Wilderness to Petersburg in killed and
wounded was fifty-eight thousand men, the number Lee had in his entire
army. So, you see, on an average, each man in Lee's army had hit his
man. Besides, our losses were heavy and we confronted Grant with only a
mighty few.