Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 32.djvu/265

 Griffith-Barksdale-Hiimphrey Mississippi Brigade. 253

When Pope learned that Jackson was between him and Washing- ton he advised General Halleck to withdraw every man from the peninsula and move them to the capital.

Finding, therefore, that no danger threatened Richmond, Gen- eral Lee ordered McLaws' Division and two brigades under General Walker, which had been left behind, to join him. McLaws' Divi- sion was composed of four brigades, Kershaw's South Carolina, Semmes' Georgia, Cobb's Georgia and Barksdale's Mississippi.

We will now leave for a moment the main army, and see what McLaws had been doing. On August 10, the enemy moved from Harrison's Landing and threatened to attack Richmond. Barks- dale was ordered to meet him, while the other brigades awaited de- velopments. We, however, had no engagement, because the enemy withdrew, and the Mississippians returned to camp, some nineteen miles from Richmond.

In the march to intercept the enemy, Barksdale passed over the battle field of White Oak Swamp, where we saw a most harrowing sight. A fence extending from the road towards the river was built through thick woods, and as the brigade marched along, we saw several hundred Federal dead lying in a row. Some were killed while in the act of climbing, while others lay on both sides of the fence. Buzzards in great numbers had been feeding on them, and in many instances had stripped the flesh from their bones. Their clothing had been torn by these carrion fowl, and altogether the scene was one of indescribable horror. The poor fellows had been killed during the night of June 30, and were not found by the bury- ing parties sent out after the battle.

A long ditch was dug and all were buried where they lay.

Some days after the return to camp, McLaws received orders to join the main army, and on August 27 we left Camp Holly about sunrise and at 2 o'clock we boarded the cars at Richmond and hur- ried to Hanover Junction. This was the terminus of the line, where we found tents stretched, the first we had seen for a year. Barks- dale's Brigade arrived on the first train and quickly disembarking, the men promptly occupied the tents. As other brigades arrived and passed beyond, they eyed the Mississippians with envy, and many bright bits of repartee were exchanged. We distinctly heard the artillery duel preliminary to the great battle of Second Manas- sas, which occurred the following day, August 20, and the men were eager to join their comrades beyond the Rappahannock. They cheered and yelled and speculated about what was going on. Finally