Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 17.djvu/187

 The Twelfth Georgia Infantry, 179

not hearing; the command " halt/' which had previously been given, and finding I had advanced ahead of the line, and my right and left were unsupported, and night coming on, I determined to withdraw ; the enemy, not knowing how small was my force, did not advance his infantry, but we were subjected to a most terrific shelling, when we were almost under the guns of the battery, and I selected a compara- tively good position, and as we were over-shot, only a few men were injured. I will here state that I was almost under the guns of a Federal battery, and had a regiment (of General Trimble's division, I think,) gone with me, as I exhorted them to do, we could have captured another battery. I protected my men until the cessation of the shell- ing, which was truly terrific. About dark 1 quietly moved out by the left flank, and in about an hour had reported to General Doles, and resumed my position on the right of the brigade. About 6 o'clock A. M. on the morning of the 3d of May line of battle was again formed, and an advance ordered. In marching through the thick wood and over the uneven ground. Major Glover reported to me that he was cut off with four companies. I assumed command of the whole, and instructed Major Hardeman to take command of the regiment. I then halted, reformed the line, and went forward to find General Doles, which I soon did. He returned, took command, and I returned to my regiment. We continued to advance under a heavy musketry fire until we arrived at the breastworks, behind which McGowan's brigade was fighting. Here we remained until the command ** charge," when we pushed forward, and passed the troops behind the works, and marching through the woods and up the hill. As we debouched I again found my right unprotected, but I had flanked the enemy and poured in a cross-fire, which he did not even return, but ran away in utter confusion. Had a brigade moved for- ward I could have marched by the right flank and cut off large numbers of prisoners in the woods. They held up their, guns and hands to surrender, but there was actually nobody to take them.

Having reached the crest of the hill and finding the enemy utterly routed. I commenced to close in to the left and reform. I was then ordered to retire, which was done, and ammunition replenished, and the troops rested the remainder of the afternoon, except a part of the time when acting as provost guard.

About sunset we were again set in motion down the plank road towards Chancellorsville, marched about 1% miles when we were halted and a line of battle formed upon the right hand side of the road. That night and the morning of the 4th May, 1863, was spent