Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 33.djvu/278

 274 Southern Historical Society Papers.

from Winchester on the Berry ville pike and cooked our rations. Lieutenant-General Anderson, with Kershaw's infantry and Fitz Lee's cavalry, arrived from Lee's army. Their ranks are much depleted, but a very small re-inforcement will greatly encourage and help our sadly diminished command.

To-day, August 19, we marched to our familiar old camping ground, the oft visited Bunker Hill.

On August 21 we marched through Smithfield, and halted about two miles from Charlestown, where "old John Brown's body" once "was mouldering in the ground, but is now marching on to h 11." Our gallant division sharpshooters, under Colonel J. C. Brown, of North Carolina, those from our brigade, under Major Blackford, of the Fifth Alabama, and our regiment, under Lieutenant Jones, Com- pany I, skirmished vigorously the rest of the day. The firing was fierce and continuous.

The Yankees fell back towards Harper's Ferry, and we promptly followed, passing their breastworks and through Charlestown, encamping in a woods near where Hon. Andrew Hunter's beauti- ful residence recently stood. His splendid mansion had been burnt by order of General (Yankee) Hunter, his cousin.

Here a sharp skirmish took place, in front of our camp, which we could see very plainly. It was a deeply interesting sight to watch them advancing and retreating, firing from behind trees and rocks and clumps of bushes, falling down to load their discharged musk- ets, and rising quickly, moving forward, aiming and firing again the whole line occassionally running quickly forward, firing as they ran, with loud "rebel yells," and the Yankees retreating as rap- idly, and firing as they fell back. It is so seldom we have an op- portunity to look on, being generally interested combatants our- selves, that the exciting scene was very enjoyable. After dark the 1 2th Alabama relieved the brigade sharpshooters, and took the outer picket post.

August 25. At sun-up we were relieved in turn, and had to va- cate the rifle pits under the fire of the enemy, General Anderson, with General Kershaw's division, took our place, and General Early, with the rest of the little army of the Valley, marched to- wards Shepherdstown on the Potomac. We met the enemy's cav- alry beyond Leetown, but they fell back quickly, and except a few shells thrown at us, our advance was not opposed. We marched through Shepherdstown after dark, making the air ring with joyous