Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 14.djvu/372

 38fi Southern Historical Society Papers.

and tlie other four regiments of the brigade were engaged. We became exposed to a very heavy concentrated fire. I quickly took in the situation. I saw we could not drive the enemy, and that we were suffering a terrib^ loss of life. I ordered the men to retire be- hind- the breastworks.

The regiments to my left, following my movement, also fell back.

To show the terrific fire to which we were exposed, I will state that I went into that fight with three hundred and fifty muskets, and in less than ten minutes I had one hundred and sixty men killed and wounded.

We had remained behind the breastworks some time, when Gen- eral J. E. B. Stuart, who, upon the fall of Jackson and the wounding of A. P. Hill, had been called to the command of Jackson's corps, rode in front of the line where the " Stonewall Brigade " was, and called for it. They responded, they were there — Stuart ordered an advance. The order was given, and I state positively, after recent conversa- tions with men and officers of the Fourth Virginia infantry, that not- withstanding the terrible ordeal through which they had only a short time before that passed, every man, not wounded, sprang to his place in ranks. There being now a continuous line of battle and properly supported, the enemy gave way and were driven with but light resistance for more than half a mile, and the plateau of the Ciiancellorsville House was carried. I need not, for the purpose of this article, pursue this branch of the subject further.

Some days after the battle of Chancellorsville I was informed that General Ramseur, in his official report of the battle, stated that he had passed over the Stonewall brigade; I immediately called on Col- nel Funk, Fifth Virginia infantry, senior Colonel of the brigade, and in temporary command. General Paxton being dead, and informed him of General Ramseur's report and suggested that he at once call on General Ramseur and try to get his report corrected, so far as it related to the "Stonewall Brigade." He promised me to do so. With that I WdS content. I gave the matter no further thought, feel- ing satisfied that full justice would be done.

To my utter astonishment, near twelve months afterwards, I learned that Colonel Funk had never called on General Ramseur, and no cor- rection of his report had been made. I immediately procured from the officers of my regiment, who were in the engagement, and then with the regiment, the following certificates, a copy of' which, in my own handwriting, is now in my possession, the original was forwarded to General Ramseur: