Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 31.djvu/238

 280 Southern Historical Society Papers.

" You and your staff and field officers to go in dismounted; dress on Garnett and take the red barn for your objective point."

During the charge I found Kemper and Garnett apparently drift- ing too much to the left, and I believe it was because the red barn was too much to Kemper 1 s left. General Pickett would have altered the direction, but our left being exposed by the retreat of Petti- grew's command, our men and 10,000 more were needed to the left.

When I reached General Kemper, he stood up, removing a hand- kerchief from under his hat, with which he had covered his face to keep the gravel knocked up by the fierce artillery fire from his eyes. As I gave the order, Robert McCandlish Jones, a friend and school- mate of mine, called out: "Bob, turn us loose and we will take them." Then Colonel Lewis Williams, of the ist Virginia Regiment, came to me and said: " Captain Bright, I wish to ride my mare up," and I answered: l< Colonel Williams, you cannot do it. Have you not just heard me give the order to your general to go up on foot ? " and he said: " But you will let me ride; I am sick to-day, and be- sides that, remember Williamsburg." Now Williamsburg was my home and I remembered that Colonel Williams had been shot through the shoulder in that battle and left at Mrs. Judge Tucker's house on the courthouse green. This I had heard, for I missed that fight, so I answered: " Mount your mare and I will make an excuse for you." General Garnett had been injured by a kick while pass- ing through the wagon train at night, had been allowed to ride; Col- onel Hunton of the same brigade also rode, being unable to walk. He fell on one side of the red barn and General Kemper on the other side.

So there were eight mounted officers, counting General Pickett and staff, mounted in the charge.

Colonel Williams fell earlier in the fight. His mare went up ride- less almost to the stone wall and was caught when walking back by Captain William C. Marshall, of Bearing's Battalion. His own horse, Lee, having been killed, he rode Colonel Williams' mare away after the fight. When I returned to General Pickett from giv- ing the order to General Kemper, Symington, Baird and Charles Pickett were with the General, they having less distance to carry their orders than I, as Kemper was on our right, and Armistead not in first line, but in echelon.

WHERE PICKETT WAS.

The command had moved about fifty yards in the charge. Gen- eral Pickett and staff were about twenty yards in rear of the column.