Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 27.djvu/179

 /;/,/, '//,; &r* Line. 171

At the battle of Balaklava occurred .111 im ident which Kinglake has painted in words. and thus immortalized. The Highland brig- ade, the 42d, the Black Watch, the Cold Stream (inards, the Gren- adiers, and the 93d, Sir Colin Campbell's old regiment, were in position which threw the 930! just along the crest of a slight rise of the ground.

The Russian artillery had become annoying, and the 93d lay down just behind the crest, where they were better sheltered and con- cealed. A division of Russian horse was moving to the left of Sir Colin's whole line, and its head of column nearly with the British, where at once four squadrons of Russians four hundred men swung quickly out of column and struck a gallop towards the English posi- tion. Instantly the Highlanders rose from the ground, and with their tall forms and towering black plumes looked like a line of giants. The Ninety-third was not in touch with either of the other battalions of the brigade, so they stood and took it, and when the Russians got within three hundred yards opened fire upon them and drove them back. They never repeated the charge. This scene has been cele- brated in song and story as " Sir Colin Campbell's Thin Red Line." It was witnessed by the allied armies Knglish, French and Turkish and simply astounded the Russians, lor both sides saw it.

EXCELLED BY JOHNSTON'S MEN.

But I, myself, with thousands of others, saw Johnston's North Carolina Brigade First North Carolina Battalion Sharpshooters, 5th North Carolina, I2th North Carolina, 2Oth North Carolina, and 23d North Carolina regiments do a thing on September 19, 1864, which far excelled in gallantry, in firmness, and in heroism this feat of the " Thin Red Line," and I have never seen a description of it in print, and I do not think it was referred to in the reports. I am sure Bob Johnston did not, for he was as modest aa he was handsome and brave.

In September, 1864, Early's army was lying about Winchester. We had been through Maryland, and terrified Washington into fits, and had gotten safely back into Virginia, with thousands of horses, cattle, medical stores, and hundreds of wagon-loads of eatables of every kind. I had a cavalry brigade of wild southwestern Virginia horsemen, as brave and as undisciplined as the Virginia Rangers Colo- nel Washington surrendered at Fort Necessity, or Andrew Lewis fought Cornstalk with at Point Pleasant. I was bivouacked we had no tents, about three miles north of Winchester, on the Valley 'pike,