Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 4.djvu/312

290 ment by Governor Ellis, he rapidly completed its organization, and soon after the battle of July 2ist, reached Manassas Junction, where he was appointed post commandant and charged with the construction of the defensive works. He remained in command here until March, 1862, and meanwhile was strongly recommended for promotion to brigadier-general by Gens. D. H. Hill and J. E. Johnston, but this was for some reason withheld until forced by the unsurpassed gallantry of his regiment at the battle of Williamsburg. It is sufficient evidence of the magnificent training and discipline of his men to record that out of 520 rank and file which the regiment carried into action, 462 were killed or wounded, and out of 27 commissioned officers, all but one were killed or wounded. This was not a foredoomed forlorn hope or a charge of a &quot;Light Brigade,&quot; but surpassed any such recorded in history, both in loss and achievement, for they went in to win and did win. During this fight Colonel Anderson seized the colors of the Twenty-seventh Georgia and dashed forward leading the charge, and though his men, cheering wildly as they followed, lost scores at every step, their courage was irresistible, and Anderson planted the colors on the stubbornly-defended breastworks. This was witnessed by President Davis, who at once promoted Anderson to brigadier-general. His brigade included the Second, Fourth, Fourteenth and Thirtieth North Carolina regiments. During the bloody Seven Days fighting which followed, he was conspicuous for skill in detecting the weak points of the enemy and boldness and persistence in attack. While leading a desperate charge at Malvern Hill he was severely wounded. His next serious engagement was at South Mountain, Md., where his brigade, with the others of D. H. Hill’s division, held back half of McClellan s army till nightfall. Three days later at Sharpsburg, on September 17, 1862, he was for the last time distinguished in battle. During an assault of the enemy,