Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 5.djvu/66

54 Smith, in his exhaustive and able book on the battles of Seven Pines and Fair Oaks, makes the following comment on this remarkable achievement: "It is believed that the annals of war show few, if any, instances of more persistent, skillful and effective ’battlefield fighting,’ than was done by the South Carolina regiments, under Colonel Jenkins, on the afternoon of May 31st.&quot; The losses were heavy, as might be expected, but unhappily there is no official report of them. Colonel Bratton, after the war, reported to General Smith that the Sixth lost 269 killed and wounded, out of 521 taken into the action. The loss of the Sharpshooters must have been fully as large. Speaking generally of his losses, Colonel Jenkins says: &quot;In my two color companies, out of 80 men who entered, 40 were killed and wounded, and out of 11 in the color guard, 10 were shot down. My colors, pierced by nine balls, passed through four hands without touching the ground.&quot; Capt. J. Q. Carpenter, commanding the color company, lost 16 out of 28, &quot;and ever in their front, the fatal ball pierced his heart, when he turned to his company and said, Boys, I am killed, but you press on.’&quot;

While the battle of Seven Pines was in progress, General McClellan at 2 p. m. had ordered General Summer’s corps to cross the Chickahominy and go to the assistance of the Federal forces now being driven by Hill’s division and R. H. Anderson s brigade. In the first advance of Jenkins, it will be recalled that he cut through General Couch’s forces, dividing them and leaving a part in rear of his left flank. This force was composed of four regiments and a battery of artillery, which retreated beyond (north of) Fair Oaks, and with the brigade of Abercrombie, stationed at Fair Oaks, took up a defensive line at the Adams house, facing Fair Oaks. This line was commanded by General Couch in person. In this position. Couch was on the left flank and rear of Hill’s battle and in place to be reinforced by Sumner, who came to his