Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 33.djvu/224

 220 Southern Historical Society Papers.

getting over them, but the brave and devoted men kept moving forward, until at last an open field was reached near the enemy's works. The men were placed in a hurried line of battle, and con- tinued to rush upon the enemy, who seemed to renew their firing with redoubled fury. Our men fell rapidly, some dying, many dead, and others dangerously wounded.

I heard the clarion voice of Colonel Gordon calling to his men on our right, above the roar of battle. His major, Nesmith, was killed. Capt. Bell and 44 of his men were killed or wounded in one com- pany.

The i2th's old superb commander, Col. R T. Jones, was in- stantly killed. But we silenced the battery in front of us, rushed through the moat of water, climbed over the breastwork, ran through the tents, vacated by Gen. Caseys's troops, and moved on beyond the camp, halting in front of a collection of abatis, which was formed by cutting down a dense grove of old field pines and trimming and sharpening the limbs so as to impede our progress. While lying down here we could see the enemy a short distance in front, despite the smoke of battle, and it was at this point that Capt. Keeling was instantly killed." Private Nicholson called out to me: "Lieut. Park, Capt. Keeling is killed, you must take command of the company." I rose, walked down the line of the company and urged the men to avenge the death of our captain.

Kneeling by the side of Serg. Flournoy, of Opelika, and private J. W. Fannin, of Tuskegee, I heard Flournoy call to Fannin: ''Shoot that officer in front of you." In response, Fannin gazed intently before him, but soon remarked that he could not see him. Flournoy's reply was, "The mischief you cant, I do," and with that he raised his gun, and deliberately pointing, fired; at the same time he received a bullet through the top of his head, laying his brains bare.

We continued firing for some minutes, until it became almost too dark to distinguish the enemy in front, and were then ordered to retire behind the redoubts now in our rear. I let the entire com- pany fall back before I started, and, taking the hand of Sergt. Flournoy in mine, I said, "Mack, dear fellow, I am sorry to lose you, but you see I am alone and must go." The poor fellow par- alyzed by his wound, was unable to speak, but pressed my hand cordially and closed his eyes in assent, while the big tears rolled down his noble face. Then, leaving him, I hurriedly ran to over-