Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 32.djvu/96

 84 Southern Historical Society Papers.

was a signal for a severe shelling of our woods; a man was soon wounded; Col. Johnson immediately got up and went to him and sent him to the rear, stopped long enough to talk to the men around him, and quiet their uneasiness, when he came back and resumed his seat. This was repeated several times. The enemy now advanced and engaged our skirmishers at the railroad, some of the balls aimed at them occasionally reached our line and some of the men were wounded. Colonel Johnson invited several of the men, who were becoming uneasy, to come and sit by him; he now had about a dozen around him, laughing and talking. Our skirmishers were then being driven back to the line of battle by the enemy and soon to the line, and the enemy was some distance on our side of the railroad. The brigade was then called to attention. Instantly they were on their feet, and when the order to forward was given, it found them rushing to the front. On reaching the field we emp- tied our guns into the enemy and made for them with empty guns. They turned and ran, leaving many dead and wounded on our side of the railroad. In approaching these men lying on the ground, about one hundred yards from us, I noticed one of them, who was lying on his back, gesticulating with his hands, raising them up, moving them violently backward and forward; I think he was try- ing to call our attention so that we would not injure him in our advance. On reaching him I recognized from his straps that he was a Yankee captain, and one of our captains running on my left said he was making the Masonic sign of distress. On getting to the railroad the 2ist Virginia Regiment occupied the bank, and the remainder of the brigade the cut to our right. We loaded and fired at the retreating enemy and soon had the field cleared.

In anticipation of the attack being renewed by the enemy, we remained at the railroad, and we did not have long to wait before the announcement of "here they come," was heard. A line of battle marched out of the far end of the woods on our left, into our field, halted, dressed their line, and moved forward. Tney were al- lowed to come to about one hundred yards of us, when we opened fire. You could see them stagger, then halt, stand a short time, then break and run. By this time another line made its appear- ance, coming from the same point. This line came a little nearer us when they, too, broke and ran. Then came another line they came nearer when they broke and ran. It then seemed as if the whole field was full of Yankees and some of them advanced nearly