Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 32.djvu/186

 174 Southern Historical Society Papers.

[From the Richmond, Va., Times-Dispatch, Nov. 27, 1904.]

THE PULASKI GUARDS.

Company C, 4th Virginia Infantry, at the First Battle of Manassas, July 18, 1861.

THE ORIGINAL REBEL YELL.

With Prefatory Note by U. S. Senator, J. W. Daniel.

BY J. B. CADDALL.

Editor of The Times- Dispatch :

SIR, In forming his line of battle at first Manassas Jackson placed the 4th Virginia Infantry, under Colonel James F. Preston, in rear of his artillery as an immediate support, and the 2yth Virginia Infantry, under Lieutenant-Colonel John Echols, in close order directly be- hind the 4th. The two regiments, except without the line of the 4th, was larger than the 29th, on account of its larger numbers, appeared as one body, four ranks deep. To the left of those two regiments, and almost at a right angle, was the 5th Virginia, under Colonel Kenton Harper, and to their left in the woods, were the 2d Virgininia, under Colonel James W. Allen (who was afterwards killed at Games' Mill) and then the 33d Virginia, under Colonel Arthur Cummings, constituted the left flank of the brigade.

When the critical juncture came, Jackson galloped to the right of the Fourth Virginia, called for Colonel Preston, told him in a few- sharp words to " order the men behind, up," and to " charge and drive them to Washington !" "Attention!" "Forward march!" " Left oblique march! " were the commands quickly given; "left oblique," an order to press the left flank of our artillery, which was between our infantry and Pickett's and Griffin's guns, which were to be charged.

Mr. J. B. Caddall, of Pulaski, was then in the 4th Virginia, and he gives an account, afterwards endorsed, with some interesting in- cidents of this regiment.

It is a notable fact that Jackson's brigade line furnished the first immovable obstacle to McDowell's advance, for while all the troops