Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 19.djvu/171

 The Soubriquet "Stonewall." 165

THE EXACT FACTS.

The speech of General Early (as I have seen it reported) at Lex- ington on the 2ist instant is slightly inaccurate in its account of this matter in two particulars. As this inaccuracy does injustice to other Confederate soldiers no less gallant than the " Stonewall" brigade, I am sure the chivalric old General and all others like him, with hearts in the right place, will be glad to have it corrected and the exact facts stated.

THE FOURTH ALABAMA.

It was to the Fourth Alabama regiment that the words were spoken by General Bee, about 2 or 3 o'clock in the afternoon of July 21, 1861. This regiment, with the Sixth North Carolina and Second and Eleventh Mississippi, constituted Bee's brigade; and as the brigade arrived at Manassas from the Valley in detachments, so it went into and fought through the battle, not as a whole, but by separate regiments. The Fourth Alabama having arrived at Manassas on Saturday, the 2Oth, was in movement very early on Sunday morn- ing, the 2ist, from near the junction towards the upper fords of Bull Run. The dust raised by the march of the Federal army to Sud- ley's ford having attracted attention, the Fourth Alabama was hur- ried by General Bee in that direction, and we reached before n A. M. the plateau of the Henry House, whereon the main conflict oc- curred afterwards.

A GREAT SACRIFICE.

Bee seeing that this was a good position for defence, but that the Federals would capture it unless delayed before the Confederate forces could reach there in sufficient numbers, ordered the Fourth Alabama to hasten a half mile further north beyond Young's branch and the wood over there to aid Evans, Wheat, and others in detain- ing the Federal army.

This duty we performed at great sacrifice, standing fast for an hour or more against overwhelming numbers, losing our Colonel, Egbert Jones, mortally wounded ; Lieutenant-Colonel Law and Major Scott, disabled, and a great number of other officers and men killed and wounded.

Then in obedience to orders we withdrew from our advanced posi- tion and took position on the Confederate battle-line and in rear of the Robinson House.