Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 16.djvu/149

 The Wee Nee Volunteers of Williamsburg District. 143

ville. The enemy are reported advancing on that place. The men were under arms in a very few minutes, and the command marching towards the Presbyterian church. Before reaching the cross-roads, we were directed to file to the left and march across the fields towards the woods between the battery above Clark's House and the Seces- sionville road. These woods had been cut down a few days before, and the trees left just as they fell. We were put in position by Colonel Johnson Hagood (who was that day acting as a brigadier- general) immediately upon the edge of the woods. The enemy were advancing to attack the battery at the neck or isthmus of the Seces- sionville peninsula, known as " Lamar's Battery," and had sent the Third Rhode Island and the Seventh Connecticut regiments to get position, so as to enfilade the battery from across the marsh north of Secessicnville. An attack on the heavy battery above Clark's House, and on Boyce's Light Battery stationed near by, was probably also a part of the purpose of these two regiments. Colonel C. H. Stevens rode up and urged us not to fire, telling us that the troops in the woods, that we could plainly hear, were a part of his regiment, driven from the picket line. The Eutaws were eager for the fight, and had the impression, which turned out to be correct, that the enemy and not friends were in our front. In a very few minutes the enemy began to make their appearance on our side of the woods. A group came out in front of Company B, Washington Light Infantry (which was on this occasion commanded by Lieutenant Blum), and private Jer- vey shot one down. We restrained the men no longer, and firing, which now began on the left of the battalion, extended towards the right. The enemy were very near us, but owing to the thickness of the woods very few of them could be seen. Their fire was in the direction from which ours first came, and consequently was concen- trated to a great extent on Company B. In a very few minutes Lieu- tenant Grier, Sergeant F. Lanneau, Jr., and two men, were killed. Lieutenant Samuel Burger and nine men were wounded, some of them mortally. Two in Captain Sellers' company were also wounded, Lieutenant F. J. Lesesne, of the Ripley Guards, was grazed by a ball, and Private Walters, of the Wee Nees, had his gun shot through. Sergeant Horton, of the Yeadon Light Infantry, was slightly wounded. (I very much regret my inability to give the names of all the private soldiers killed and wounded.) There were no casual- ties in any of the other companies of the battalion. Our fire, as well as that of the enemy, was very rapid, but did not last very long. After the firing ceased, Captain Sellers was sent with a few men to

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