The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-10-16

into the saddle. L followed suit and side
by side we spurred to the front, and the
men were upon the charge. Just as we
rode from the timber into the open,
which brought us face to face with the
Union army, L noticed that we were rid
Ing in front of Woffords men. l called
General Longstreets attention to this,
and suggested the danger of being shot
down by our own troops. He checked his
horse and held him until Wofford's men
had gotten in front of us. The Union
army was found between our people and
the peach orchard upon a road along
which they had piled rails and whatever
else they could get that would aid in
making a breastWorks, and were lying
behind these rails awaiting our attack.
The peach orchard was on Wofford's left
and Barksdale's right. General Long
street from the minute he came into the
open where he could see Round Top, had
his field glasses constantly upon that end
of his line, deeply interested in Hood s
efforts. Upon approaching the peach
orchard the Union forces had fallen back
beyond the orchard, our people were
driving them, but General Barksdale' s
brigade had halted behind the small
breastworks which the enemy had aban-
doned, while Wofford's men had gone on.
l called General Longstreets attention to
this, and said, do you want General
and said, mo; go tell him to retake his
position in the line" I turned my horse
and dashed to Barksdale, jumping a
fence to do so, when l fell, pulling my
self back into the saddle by my horse 8
neck. I found General Barksdale on his
horse, standing behind brick millShouse,
and giving him the order from General
Longstreet he put spurs to his horse,
dashed little ways along his line, giving
n Iap 10 oh al nIInE
when 1 distinctly heard shot strike him
and saw him fall from his horse. I
went back to General Longstreet. who
was guiding his horse into the peach
orchard, told him of Barksdale's fall,
when he said, 60 on beyond this orchard
and tell General Alexander to advance
his artillery, and to keep in touch with
Wofford's left. I hunted my way to this
battery. The smoke, noise OF shells,
thunder of cannon, the Kissing of balls
was so thick and so great that one OF
the artillerymen led my horse to General
Alexander, whom I found few feet In
front of his own guns, his glasses to his
eyes, standing the bravest of the brave.
I gave him the order, he pointed and
said. Tell General Longstreet that as
soon as l drive back this column of ad-
vancing enemy I will advance This
column was coming into the vacuum
caused by Barksdale halt.
simultaneously Wofford's men had seen
that they were not protected or sup
ported on the left and had begun to re-
treat, which Longstreet's and Woffords
personal appearance on the field pre-
lvented from becoming a panic. 1 aided
in rallying Wofford's men, got the line
re-established and rested for the night
Darkness was coming upon us, little
daylight only was left. Just at this mo-
of iclrS m ~
Der of Longstreets's staff, came up to me,
face powder-stained fro mbiting off the
cartridges, told me that his horse was
killed, and being afoot on the battlefield
he got gun from a fallen confederate
and went into the fight. He asked me for
my horse, telling me to go seek the head
quarters and wait there for him. l gave
him my horse, and as he rode away,
leaving me there on the battlefield, 1
looked around for a moment, when a
Georgia soldier directed my attention to
horse grazing between the two lines of
battle, with saddle and bride. I told him
how dangerous 1t was to get that horse.
He laughed and said: "It Is easy" So
went upon hands and knees, keeping
the horse between me and my friends
the enemy The horse was too tired and
hungry to escape. I mounted him, and
lying along his body and neck, put both
spurs into his tanks and quickly had
him out of range. I heard the whistle of
several balls in making this run. He
proved to be a good draft horse but a
poor saddle horse.
Thus with me ended the great battle
day, the I'd of July. Both sides lay on
their guns General Pickett was in re-
serve, about four miles from the battle
field. To me, whatever was done until
Picketts charge was without note. The
next day General Longstreet Lee having
consented to General Pickett that he
might make the charge) took his posi-
ton in full view of both lines, and upon
the booming of 100 guns, which our side
had placed to open upon the enemy
line, General Pickett was to attack, Gen
eral Pickett and his men rushed to the
charge General Pickett was seen coming
back in a gallop his long black hair
waving in the wind and he was yelling:
where Is General Longstreet?" I was
dispatched to intercept him, and as he
approached General Longstreet in terri
BILE agony, he cried out: General, am
ruined; my division is gone-it Is de-
stroyed.'' General Longstreet consoled
him by the assurance that it would not
be so bad as he thought; that In few
hours he would get together quite num-
Der of his men. What occurred after
that 1 know not.
That night about midnight I was called
to Colonel SorrelPs tent eve had head
quarters near the BLACK Horse tavern'')
and he told me that I was to hunt up
some officers along the line and give
them sealed orders. 1t was then drizzling
and the night was dark I had but little
trouble in finding the people 1 was sent
to, except as to Colonel Walton, chief of
artillery Longstreet's corps.
On my return to the Black Horse tav-
ern / found General Longstreet's wagon,
and he and staff in the road waiting
on somebody or for some signal. We
moved on in the rain for an hour or
more I did not know, but we had pre-
sentiment that our move was retreat
It was hard, very hard march. The
roads were muddy, wagon ruts deep,
the night awful. We had besides our own
people about 1000 prisoners to take care
of. After a hard march Of day and
night we approached falling water on the
Potomac, where the pontoons had been
laid to cross into Virginia. The rain
had swollen the Potomac, and all had to
cross on the pontoon- had been out
doing courier work all day and night,
and arrived at the pontoon little before
daylight, where General Longstreet was
on the ground directing the men. wagons.
artillery, etc, across. pushed Off to
one side out of the way and out of sight.
souatted at the root of q tree, tied my
bride reins to my arm, and did not
wake until after daylight, when to my
horror / found myself within a few feet
of the river, and my horse SO close
that one step more would have put him
over the bank. / made my way to the
bridge, General Longstreet told me to go