The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-01-28
SOME RECOLLECTIONS
 OF BATTLE OF MANASSAS
BY H. L. STEVENSON.

I Sure enough. We were called to "atten- ton, but instead of charging the bat l tery as expected. we were moved at a. double quick one and a half miles, or so 1t seemed to our right Passing out ot
 the woods, we had to go some distance along lane with an open field on both sides. Several batteries seemed to be hiring on this lane, as the exploding shells had caused so much smoke that 1t looked like a small cloud We made all the time possible in going Nong this lane, and when half through a, small fragment of shell struck the writer just above the knee and the blood triekled down, giving him visions of furlough and
 home, provided he was not killed. Emerging from the lane, we crossed a very deep ditch, or ravine. Here l saw many men in gray, some wounded andl many skulking, and some of my regiment were left in this ditch. We were now out of range and l was enabled to examine my wound. 1t proved to be a flesh wound, and l continued with the regiment. Ad- vancing to the top of 8 small hill, saw the ground streWn or nearly covered, wit hthe dead New York Zouaves. These soldiers were dressed in their full Zouave uniform, with red trousers, etc., and lay thicker on the ground than l have ever seen men lie on any battlefield. was informed that the First Texas regiment, Hoods brigade had surprised them, at tacl1ing from their rear, nearly annihi- lating their entire command. l picked up a United States flag, but soon threw 1t away.
 We moved on some distance and halted in a little valley or ravine. In front of us the muskets were roaring and rolling off to our left like the reverberating of thunder. The firing in our front was in the woods and not visible to us. Briga- dier General Tooms rode up to the line and dramatically exclaimed: That's right, boys, lie down and take care of yourselves" soldier remarked, as the minnie balls now were whistling all about and among us: You had better look out yourself, General" The latter. as he sat on his horse, responded: Never mind me; Jeff Davis can make generals, but 1t takes God Almighty to make soldiers This reply caused murmur Of applause among the soldiers, but fine voiced sol dier down the line caAed out: General oh General your brigade is over there in front fighting. General Wilcox is com manding this brigade. CEXit the General) We were again ordered to move for ward 1t being nearly dusk. Halting fl pine thicket, we were ordered to let down The writer his brother, and ex- Senator l.. w. Grant happened to be in an old field gully covered with pine straw eighteen inches deep. It was now dark  other battery, the grapeshot frequently striking the ditch where we lay, rico ehettng off to the rear. It seemed to me had we not been in this ditch nearly all of us would have been killed. As the ground in front was covered with old field pines, these shots. as they passed through made a terrible racket some thing like, I imagine, small cyclone would make. Senator Grant said: We have managed to keep alive thus far, but we will have to charge that battery. and as 1t is too dark to see anything we will all certainly be killed but we will have to go all the same"
 The Federal firing soon ceased and si- 1ence regned along our line. The men expected every moment to hear the com mand, Forward, charge! But instead of hearing this command, ano ther brother who belonged to the Eighth Georgia, came to us and stated that there were no Yankees in front, that we had gained a great battle, and that the Federal army wns in full retreat In a moment our men were on their feet, talking and laugh ing and detailing their experiences of the battle. It turned out that this last firing had been done to cover the retreat and to check our pursuit. My regiment had been under fire nearly all the evening, losing men both killed and wounded, but as we had been supporting and did not get on the front line until night, we had never fired a gun.