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Supported upon either side by his aids. Captains James Smith and Joseph Morrison, the General moved slowly and painfully toward the rear. Occasionally resting for a moment, to shake off the exhaustion which pain and the loss of blood produced, he at last reached the line of battle, where most of the men were lying down, to escape the shell and cannister, with which the Federals raked the road. General Pender rode up here to the little party, and asked who was wounded, and Captain Smith, who had been instructed by General Jackson to tell no one of his injury, simply answered "a Confederate officer;" but Pender recognized the General, and springing from his horse, hurriedly expressed his regret, and added that his lines were so much broken, he feared it would be necessary to fall back. At this moment the scene was a fearful one. The air seemed to be alive with the shrieks of shells and the whistling of bullets; horses, riderless and mad with fright, dashed in every direction; hundreds left the ranks and fled to the rear, and the groans of the wounded and dying, mingled with the wild shouts of others to be led again to the assault. Almost fainting as he was, from loss of blood, fearfully wounded, and as he thought, dying, Jackson was undismayed by this terrible scene. The words of Pender seemed to rouse him to life. Pushing aside the men who supported him, he stretched himself to his full height, and answered feebly, but distinctly enough to be heard above the din of the battle, "General Pender, you must hold on to the field, you must hold out to the last." It was Jackson's last order upon the field of battle. Still more exhausted by this effort, he asked to be permitted to lie down for a few moments, but the danger from the fire, and capture by the Federal advance, was too imminent, and his aids, hurried him on. A litter having been obtained, he was placed upon it, and the bearers passed on as rapidly as the thick woods and rough ground