Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 33.djvu/200

 196 Southern Historical Society Papers.

on the 22nd of July, the day after the great battle, and after form- ing camp was detailed to bury the Federal dead. The Confederate dead had already been properly interred, but the fields and woods seemed to be full of the bodies of men in blue. My detail spent the day burying Brooklyn Zouaves, who wore blue jackets and red pantaloons. These Zouaves had been lying on the ground for sev- eral hours, and were greatly swollen, and their faces and hands had become black. The sight was a horrible one, and the removal of them to the long trenches which we dug, was anything but a grate- ful task, but it was a humane duty which we did not shrink from performing. We placed their heads looking towards the East, and were careful to bury them so deep that they would not be disturbed by predatory animals. This furious battle, and these terrible sights as a result, made an indellible impression upon us all. The regi- ment remained there during the fall and winter, and moved to York- town in the spring of 1862. It was under fire there and suffered lightly at Williamsburg. At Seven Pines the regiment was in the advance that opened the battle, and stormed the redoubt held by Casey's division, carrying three lines of works by successive charges, with the loss of 70 killed and 141 wounded more than half of its number engaged. It participated, to some extent, in the other battles before Richmond, and mustered 120 men for duty after the battle of Malvern Hill. Still under Rodes, and in D. H. Hill's division, and brigaded with the Third, Fifth, Sixth and Twenty-Sixth Alabama Regiments, the Twelfth was in the advance into Maryland. It bore a conspicuous part at Boonsboro, and also at Sharpsburg, losing in these bloody conflicts 27 killed, 69 wounded, and 33 missing, out of its thinned ranks. Retiring into Virginia with the army, the regiment wintered on the Rappahan- nock. It was under fire but not actively engaged at Fredericks- burg, but, it was in the resistless column of Rodes at Chancellors- ville, where Colonel O'Neal led the brigade, and where the Twelfth charged three lines of breastworks, and was badly mutilated. It skirmished at Brandy Station, and again led the. way over the Potomac. At Gettysburg it was on the extreme left and pressed the enemy in confusion through the town, then supported the grand assault and afterward covered the rear. After the army had retired into Virginia, the Twelfth was engaged in several skirm- ishes at Warrenton Springs, Mine Run, &c. The winter was passed near Orange C. H., and the regiment General Battle now