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SOME PAGES FROM MF SCRAP BOOK
JACKSON AND HIS BRIGADE AT
MANASSAS.
The battle of Manassas possesses a
peculiar interest for him who still re
calls without regret the dream of the
Confederacy. Here first met in
pitched field the men of two sections,
and the sons of the South, against
greatly superior numbers, bore oft the
palm. Here was assembled the flower
of Southern chivalry, in the ranks of
which were so many of those whose
names afterward “filled the speaking
trumpet of fame,” and here, last of
all, Jackson began his great career,
and in a baptism of fire received from
General Bee the name of “Sone
wall.” So far as a plain statement
of a few of the incidents of that day,
as seen by an eye-witness, may serve
the cause of truth, this narrative
will go, borrowing only enough from
Johnston’s Narrative, and Dabney’s
Life of Jackson to make the general
action intelligible.
Jackson’s Brigade was composed of
the following Virginia regiments: The
Second, commanded by Colonel Al
len; the Fourth, by Colonel Pies
ton; the Fifth, by Colonel Harper;
the Twenty-seventh, by Lieutenant-
Colonel John Echols, and the Twenty
third, by Colonel Cummins. The
writer was then a private in Company
G, of the Second. On the morning of
the memorable 21st of July, 1862,
just after the first streaks cf dawn
were lighting up the eastern sky, wo
were roused from sleep by the roll
of the drum and fell into line. Soon
we were marched to a point where
in front of us was a dense woods.
Beyond this was Mitchell’s Ford,
where picket-firing was heard for
a while. In a few minutes it died
away, and only the occasional boom
of a big gun in the direction of Cen
terville showed that the enemy was
near at hand.
About six o’clock we moved to the
left nearly a mile and again halted,
with an open woods before us. Sharp
firing in front excited momentary
expectation of seeing the brigade
moved off briskly, increasing its
speed as the sound of battle became
more audible, and at times moving
at a double-quick. The beams of a
burning July sun almost melted u«
as, enveloped in woolen garments and
weighted down with musket and ac
coutrements, we hurried for at least
thiee miles toward the scene of con
- flic L
McDowell had deceived Johnston
and Beauregard. Having made a spe
cious feint on their center and right,
he had stealthily thrown three divis
ions on their extreme left and rear,
and there was nothing to oppose them
but a detachment of eleven hundred
men, under Colonel Evans. For
awhile he faced the multitude wi*h
his little band, then fell back,
closely pressed. General Bee, with
two regiments and Imboden’s battery,
came to his assistance, and for a
time held the enemy in check. After
a stubborn fight of more than an hour,
Bee retired before five times his num
ber, and was enabled to make his re
treat to another position somewhat
WATSON’S WEEKLY JEFFERSONIAN.
in order by tho timely arrival of
Hampton with his battalion.
It was at this stage of the action
that Jackson arrived on the field As
we ascended the slope beyond which
was heard the roar of bailie, Jack
son rode near the head of the column.
Couriers were constantly riding up
to him and then galloping off at
breakneck speed. As we approached
the crest, an officer on a black horse
flecked with foam and bloody with
spurring, rode up to Jackson. Every
one said it was General Bee. The
writer was in a part of the column
quite near, but not near enough to
hear what was said. Those who were
immediately reported the following
as having occurred: “How goes the
day!” said Jackson. “Hard, Gen
eral; they are beating us back.”
“Then,” said Jackson, “we’ll try
the bayonet. ’ 1 ■
The last remark was repeated from
soldier to soldier. It indicated th-t
without hard lighting the day was
lost. It was the first revelation, too,
of the character of the man who led
them; for up to *hat time he had
seemed, from his sloucuv appearance
and quiet ways, to be more a man cf
peace than of war. Soon bombs were
heard flying over our heads, and a
stream of wounded met us. Their
bloody faces and groans brought us
face to face with the stern realities
of the business in which we were
engaged, and were far from encour
aging. As each one passed, some of
the troops asked how the day was
going. Nearly all replied that we
were being badly whipped. An ar
tilleryman was borne by on a stretch
er, torn and bleeding. “How’s the
fight going!” asked one of those
carrying him. The wounded man re
plied: “Pretty hard, boys; but pitch
in, and we’ll give ’em fits yet.” This
was the first word of encouragement
we had received, and we cheered the
brave fellow lustily. As he passed
the column, all along the line his
brave words were received with
shouts.
Near the crest of the slope we were
formed in order of battle thus: Near
the center, and in the rear of Imbo
den’s, Sianard’s and Pendleton’s bat
teries were posted the Fourth and
Twenty-seventh ; on the right of the
batteries, Fifth Virginia, and on the
left, the Second and Thirty-third
regiments. We were ordered to lie
down until we saw the enemy, then
to fire and charge. The line ran
through a dense pine thicket, which
entirely concealed us from the enemy,
as well as the enemy from us, for we
could not see ten yards beyond the
line.
Soon after we had taken position,
when already a good man shells were
beating the bushes in search of us
Beauregard rode along the front, oc
casionally halting and speaking to the
troops. He stopped near the writer
and made quite a speech, telling us
we were defending all that was most
dear to ns. When he had finished,
Lieutenant English said: “How long,
General, must wc stay here!” mean
ing how long before we charged
Beauregard misunderstood him, and
replied, with arm uplifted, “Till
death!” All were struck with his
martial air and animated face, and
gazed admiringly till he disappeared
in the bushes along the front of the
Twenty-third.
Pretty soon the firing was animat
ed, and the shells flew screaming
over our heads. In the midst of it
there appealed, picking his way
through the pines, a horseman who
seemed in imminent danger of being
torn to pieces. He walked his horse,
pushing the branches aside with great
deliberation. Presently we all saw it
was Jackson. The countenance and
manner of the man were indelibly
impressed. So composed was his
mien and so natural his tones, that we
almost forgot a battle was raging.
He attempted no fervent address, but
spoke a few words to the troops as he
passed. He asked what were our or
ders. Some one answered to stay till
we saw the enemy, then to fire and
charge. His reply is not distinctly
remembered, but it was something to
this effect, “That’s right; do your
duty, men!”
In a short time after this the can
nonading was terrific. To the novice,
peering through the brush in fearful
expectancy, fancy was busy and bold.
So close were the contending batteries
that sometimes we could not tell the
reports of our own from those of the
enemy. Discharge followed discharge
so quickly that it seemed as if it were
two mailed giants hammering each
other wiih huge battle axes. In front
and on our right we could hear vol
leys of musketry and loud shouting;
but bullets tore the bushes above our
heads and were hitting some. Many
cried out, “Let us charge; anything
is better than this!” But the officers
yelled at us to keep our places and
obey orders. It was at tins point
that Bee, amid the flame of battle,
gave Jackson his immortal name of
“Stonewall.” His own men who had
been longer in the fight than Jack
son’s and who were more exposed to
the aim of the enemy’s guns, were
disheartened and breaking, over
whelmed by the advancing multitude.
“Look,” said Bee, “at Jackson,
standing like a stone wall!’ 7 From
where they were on the right they
could see Jackson’s men lying silent
amid the storm.
The Thirty-third, as before said,
was on our left, and a considerable
portion of this line was visible. Pres
ently they arose, fired their pieces,
and with fierce shouts rushed toward
the fee. In a moment they were lost
to view. The shot ceased coming to
ward us, but the earth shook with the
burst of thunder from cannon and
musket that received them. Never in
lhe annals of war was a braver
charge made by raw troops. In less
than five minutes nearly half the regi
ment was killed and wounded. Ono
company composed of youths in their
teens —the “Hardy Blues”—lost out
of sixty-six, twenty-nine killed and
twenty wounded. Thev captured the
battery ißickett’s) that was doing ns
such damage, but were soon driven off
by a deadly fire from infantry near
by protected by an excavated road
way. The remnant of the Thirtv
third returned and formed our left
and rear. About this time, or per
haps before, a body of Confederates
passed along our rear line toward our
left. This was encouraging, for all
the bullets came from that direction.
“What regiment is that!” cried one.
“Forty-ninth Virginia.” was the re
ply. “Who is the Colcnel!”
“Smith.” “What Smith!” “Ex
tra Billy.” answered in angry tones,
the gallant ex-Governor of Virginia.
“Extra Billy” was the name the
Whigs had given him as a title of
honor.
Notwithstanding this re-enforce
ment, in a short time the left seemed
entirely gone, and the enemy was on
our flank in heavy force. The bullets
came thicker and faster down the line
and we could not reply without shoot
ing our own. Many were struck, and
there was great impatience to charge.
This was increased by a Methodist
preacher who had led a company in
the Thirty-third, and with violent
gesticulations was imploring us to
charge “the battery,” saying that
the horses were all killed and the
Yankees in confusion. Some of the
men, crazed with excitement, rose up
and called for others to join them in
a charge. The officers yelled at
them: “Down! down!” till order was
restored.
But the enemy was enveloping our
left. Still did we wait for the enemy
to appear, but none were to be seen,
while shells from the front and biillets
from the left were playing a havoc
of death. In the midst of the uproar,
the order was given to “fall back.”
“What for?” cried one (Tom Bris
tow, of Jefferson); “we are doing
very well.” Immediately he fell,
mortally wounded. The left of the
Second now hurriedly retired from a
position where no resistance could
possibly be made, and formed in the
rest of the brigade. To repel the on
set Jackson now advanced his remain
ing force and pushed baelc the enemy
at the point of the bayonet. But ti e
crisis was passed. The reserves now
came up, and Smith and Early having
assailed the left flank successively,
victory soon crowned oui aims.
At tho Chantaiqua held here in
Chillicothe recently, General Weaver,
Congressman Hobsen and Sam Small
were among the speakers. All tnese
are former Populists. A Populist is
all right with the public as long as be
doesn’t vote the Populist ticket. In
hunting for speakers that will draw’
crowds, the Chautauqua managein
seem to find it necessary to get men
who were once Populists, or at least
have gained their reputations by talk
ing more or less populism. Such men
as Tillman. B*yan, La Follette, U. 8.
Senator Bob Taylor, of Tennessee
Taylor was also one of the speakers
at our Chautauqua. His remarks on
“When Greece Fell,” When Rome
Fell/’ etc., sounded very much like
Populist talk, lint they didn’t seem
to want Tom Watson, the greatest ora
tor of them all. Watson would make
the crowd lift the roof off the ter.t
with applause But Watson believes
in voting as he talks, and therefore
he is not wanted. But it won’t al
ways be this way.—Missouri World,
PAGE THREE