Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 22.djvu/165

 Gen. \\'"'/> Jl'tinpton's Cattle 7ft//W.

LEE'S MEN TAUNT THE YANKEES.

General Lee came into the fight before it was over, and I well remember how his dismounted men, as they advanced to a mill-pond through the bushes, called to the Yankees to come over and get their bulls, and bellowed at them in derision. We had some little fighting not half as much as we anticipated and before 9 o'clock we had left our enemy far in the rear and crossed the water by a dam, and were trotting toward our own lines. We had captured some prisoners, and among them a telegraph corps. They were splendid looking fellows, much better dressed than the ordinary Yankee soldier, and their wagons and teams were splendid. In crossing the dam, which was very narrow, our wagon with six mules fell down the bank, and to make the road clear it was bodily thrown into the water so we could cross.

THE GALLANT M'CALLA KILLED.

I shall never forget how sorry I felt for the telegraph men, who had to drop all their dignity and trot to keep up with the hurrying column. Among the killed was the gallant M'Calla, of the First South Carolina Cavalry. He and Hogan, one of Butler's scouts, were along and rendered valuable service. We had traveled 100 miles and had two fights, and, best of all, had furnished fresh meat for General Lee's starving army, many of whom had not tasted fresh meat for months.

THE NUMBER OF HAMPTON'S MEN.

I have always understood that General Hampton's entire force on this expedition was about 2,000 cavalry and four pieces of artillery, two of McGregor's guns and two of Hart's Battery, of which all South Carolinians have heard.

WHAT THE FEDERALS SAY.

Now let's see by the record what our "friends, the enemy," were doing all this time. It seems that they had gotten wind of the pro- posed raid.

The first I find in the "Official Records" of the "War of the Rebellion" is a dispatch from Colonel George H. Sharp to General Humphries, chief of staff to General Meade, simply stating that he