Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 23.djvu/35

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deserter lived. He told us that he belonged to Nelson's Battalion, Hagood's Brigade, and took us for Kilpatrirk's men, opened his corn-crib, fed our horses, and assured us that he was with us, and would do what he could to crush the rebellion. I never can forgrt how this unfortunate man looked next morning when he found, to his uttiT disgust, that he had been entertaining "gray coats."

I take the following from a letter written by Colonel Zimmerman I'.ivis: "Among many similar brilliant exploits of our Major-Gene- ral, M. C. Butler, was a morning attack upon one of Sherman's wagon trains on the west side of Little Lynch' s creek, in Kershaw county, on February 22d or 23d. The night before was cold, dark and rainy, when he boldly marched his command into the very midst of Sherman's army, and about n o'clock went into camp in sight of and between camp fires of two army corps. His men were in the saddle again before dawn, drawn up in column of fours, in close prox- imity to an encampment of wagon trains, anxiously awaiting the opportune moment to charge. Just as the wagons were being hitched up and had driven into the road for the purpose of beginning the day's march, their escort in front, the shrill blasts of our bugles sounding the charge, awoke echoes in the forests around, and away we went shouting, shooting and hewing with sabre. It was but the work of a few seconds, and in an incredible short space of time about 200 prisoners and nineteen splendid army wagons, each drawn by six fine mules, clad in such harness as our Confederate teamsters had not seen for many a day, we put across the stream formed by Little and Big Lynch's creek, where they were safe from rescue."

This wagon train was coming after the very corn that our horses had just eaten, and in this charge that took them in, one of General Hampton's bravest scouts, Jim Doolin, was severely wounded in the thigh, and the best we could do for him was to put him in a little hut near the river, in Darlington county. Jim Doolin was as brave as Julius Caesar, and was detailed to scout for General Hampton from a Virginia regiment in Rosser's brigade. I have never seen him since telling him good-bye in the hut, but I hear he is living up in the valley now at his old home. Colonel Davis continues: "After the charge, while waiting in the road irr columns of fours, prepared to resist a counter charge from the enemy's main body, should one be attempted while the captured train was crossing the creek, I observed a horse running through the woods without a rider, and dispatched Private McElroy of my old company, the South Caro- lina Rangers, to capture and bring him in. He did so, and the