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 General //o^/'.v Brigade. 303

beaten, was retiring through our ranks in disorder and confusion, telling the soldiers of the brigade, as we neared the enemy, " not to go in there; that it was death; that the enemy's position could not be taken." But this only added to our determination to break the lines of the enemy or perish in the attempt. And undismayed the citizen soldiery of Texas moved steadily forward with the majestic tread of trained veterans. The First and Fifth regiments, with the Eighteenth Georgia and Hampton's legion, as stated before, charged the enemy through the woods, and their task was not as severe as that of the Fourth, which charged across another field under a mur- derous fire of the enemy's infantry and artillery for near half a mile. But led as they were, by the immortal Hood, they did it beautifully, grandly.

In the language of General Hood himself: " Onward we marched under a constantly increasing shower of shot and shell, whilst to our right could be seen some of our troops making their way to the rear, and others lying down beneath a galling fire. Our ranks were thinned at almost every step forward, and proportionately to the growing fury of the storm of projectiles. Soon we attained the crest of the bald ridge, within about 150 yards of the breastworks. Here was concentrated upon us from batteries in front and flank a fire of shell and canister, which ploughed through our ranks with deadly effect. Already the gallant Colonel Marshall, together with many other brave men, had fallen victims in this bloody onset. At a quickened pace we continued to advance without firing a shot, down the slope over a body of our soldiers lying on the ground and across Powhite creek, when amid the fearful roar of musketry and artillery, I gave the order to fix bayonets and charge. With a ring- ing shout we dashed up the steep hill, through the abattis and over the breastworks upon the very heads of the enemy. The Federals, panic-stricken, rushed precipitately to the rear upon the infantry in support of the artillery. Suddenly the whole joined in flight toward the valley beyond."

While the Fourth was making this glorious charge, equal to any in the annals of war, the First and Fifth, with the Eighteenth Geor- gia and Hampton's Legion, were nobly fighting and charging in their front, and simultaneously with the breach made by the Fourth they swept the Federals from their .front, and the enemy's centre once pierced, they soon gave way all along their line, and as our victorious troops emerged upon the high plateau lately held by the enemy, as the shades of evening were gathering fast, we beheld the