Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 27.djvu/171

 in reaching the forest, and drove the enemy back on their reserve line posted in the undergrowth.

After firing a few rounds, a force of New York Zouaves was seen forming line. Across the open field we had charged through a few minutes before they also opened fire on us with telling effect, killing and wounding a number of our men.

When Colonel Marshall discovered the enemy forming on our left flank and moving to our rear, he ordered the regiment to retreat, which was not heard by all of the regiment. Over one-half of the regiment was killed and wounded in a few minutes. The open field and woodland was strewed with dead and dying and wounded, not able to get off the field.

Companies G and K suffered the greatest. Company G had twenty-one killed on the field and mortally wounded as follows: Lieutenant B.M. Latimer, Sergeant-Major A.H. McGee, L.A. Callaham, W.J. Calvert, Dr. Frank Clinkscales, R.F. Cunningham, J.A. Davis, Samuel Fields, M. Freeman, R.A. Gordon, John B. Gordon, I.L. Grier, E.J. Humphreys, A.P. Lindsay, A.H. McGhee, Jr., J.G. Martin, J. Morrison, E.W. Pruitt, George B. Richey, S.O. Reid (26th), W.H. Simpson, over 33 per cent, killed and mortally wounded, 80 per cent, killed and wounded.

The regiment carried into action 537 men, of this number 81 were killed and 234 wounded. Very few commands suffered in any one engagement so heavily.

The writer was severely wounded about the time the order was given to retreat, and left on the field and fell in the hands of the enemy.

My command had gone but a short distance, falling back, before the Yankees line of battle was reformed in the edge of the woodland where I was. A reserve line was soon brought up to support the line in front, while the Yankees were around me, they asked me several questions, my command and where from, &c. They did not attempt to move and treated me kindly while among them with one exception. One fellow demanded my cartridge box, and enforced the demand at the point of the bayonet. I was slow in delivering it to him, when he threatened to bayonet me if I did not obey his demands at once.

The line in the front and the reserve line both were hard to manage by the officers. They were expecting to be attacked and would not line up, and keep in elbow touch. During the time they were adjusting their lines the conflict was raging in other parts of the field.