Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 32.djvu/99

 The Second Battle of Manassas. 87

A short struggle on top of the bank and in front of the cut and the battle was won. The enemy were running, and then went up that yell that only Confederates could make. Some men, wild with excitement, hats off, and some went up into the air. It was right here that Lieutenant Rawlings, commanding F Company, was killed, his hat in one hand, his sword in the other, cheering his men to victory. He was struck in the head by a rifle ball and fell dead.

After the flying enemy we went, through the field in our front to the woods on the left; through that into the next field, where we could see our line advancing in all directions. Our artillery fired over our heads, some following in the pursuit, and on nearing a hill would run up on that, unlimber and fire rapidly through inter- vals in our advancing line thousands of muskets firing, the men giving the old yell, the enemy in full retreat, and we right after them. It was one of the inspiring scenes whose actors will never forget and which makes a soldier at once of a recruit.

We kept up the pursuit until eight or nine o'clock in the night, when we were halted and allowed to rest until morning. And the man with " headquarters in the saddle" and who had " no rear" was taught the second lesson at Jackson's tactics. He wished then he had a rear, and he was putting forth all his efforts to find Wash- ington with its fortifications, which was forty-five to fifty miles in his rear when we commenced our movement.

THE FIGURES OF LOSSES.

Pope's army numbered over 70,000; his loss was over 20,000 and thirty pieces of artillery.

Lee's numbered about 50,000; his loss was 8,000.

The loss in our brigade was small. Amongst the killed was Lieu- tenant Edward G. Rawlings, commanding F. Company. He was as good a soldier as the war produced, a magnificent specimen of manhood, tall and erect, oversixfeetin his stockings, weighing about two hundred pounds, with endurance in proportion to his size. I have often heard him say he could march forever if his feet would keep from getting sore. He was kind, gentle and always at his post and in the performance of his duty.

To Jackson falls the chief honor of Second Manassas, as it did in the first battle, and the position held by the 2d Brigade was one of the points the enemy made their most desperate and repeated as-