Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 14.djvu/554

 548 Southern Historical Society Pa2:>ers.

my line, this time selecting the right, commencing on the extreme right of the line, Bratton's South Carolina, and extending to the left through DuBose's Georgians (Benning being wounded at the Wil- derness and not rejoining until late in the fall), and Perry's Ala- bamians, but they were repulsed throughout with great slaughter.

After four or five days spent in this position, the enemy withdrew from my front, and going then over the ground he had occupied, we were astounded at the great slaughter we had made. The graves were very numerous, and the dead bodies in some places which were under fire, and could not, therefore, be removed, were black, jet black, and swollen, and presented a horrid spectacle. General G. T. Anderson, of my division, reported that in one day the enemy charged his line eight different times. Our losses were very slight whilst his were im- mense at this place.

At this time Brigadier-General Law returned and took command of the brigade (Alabamians), but was wounded a few weeks later at Cold Harbor, sent home, and never again rejoined the brigade, Colonel Perry being promoted to it

The enemy having retired from my front, I vacated that position and took front on the extreme right of the army. Remaining here a day or two, the enem)'^ making no attack, we withdrew with the army to the North Anna and formed on its south bank, or beyond it a mile.

It may be well to state that my division was composed of five brigades, all the balance of the army having but four. They were one South Carolina, two Georgia, one Alabama, and one Texas, commanded respectively by Brigadier-Generals Jenkins, Benning, Anderson, Law, and Gregg. As during the campaign Generals Jen- kins and Gregg were killed and Generals Benning and Law wounded, their brigades were commanded respectively by Colonel Bratton, afterwards made Brigadier-General, Colonel Bass, Colonel DuBose, afterwards made Brigadier-General, aiid Colonel Perry, afterwards made Brigadier-General.

After two or three days here, we marched through Ashland to the Totopotomoy river, and fought, I think, on the morning of June 3d, the battle of Cold Harbor. It was two days before, that Kershaw, who was some distance on my right — Pickett being between us— asked for assistance. Either his lines or Hoke's or both had just been broken by the enemy, and a large salient of our works taken by the enemy. Leaving two of my brigades in my thin lines to hold them, with the three others (Law's Alabamians, Anderson's Georgians,