Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 33.djvu/247

 The Twelfth Alabama Infantry. 243

rained all day. Had a nice bed of dry wheat straw at night, and slept soundly, undisturbed by dreams or alarms.

June 27. Marched through several small towns, and two miles beyond Carlisle, on the Baltimore turnpike, at least 25 miles. Ate an excellent supper at Mr. A. Spott's.

June 28. Breakfasted with some brother officers at Mr. Lee's. His daughters waited upon the tables, and we were served with hot rolls and waffles, butter and honey. Fried chicken also graced the table, and, I need not say, everything was hugely enjoyed. I went to an Episcopal Church in Carlisle, and, after the close of the ser- vice, was passing some well dressed ladies, to whom I lifted my hat, when one of them spoke to me kindly and inquired what State I was from, and upon reply told me that their minister was from Flor- ence, Alabama. She spoke very gently and without a word of abuse, or reproof, or remonstrance. I went alone to the National Hotel for dinner. Found an unfriendly and scowling crowd of rough looking men in the office, but I walked up to the desk and registered and called for dinner. I was late and the dinner was quite a poor one, and was rather ungraciously served by a plump, Dutchy looking young waitress. I paid for it in Confeder- ate money.

June 29. Crossed Blue Ridge Mountains at a gap at Papertown, where many of our men obtained a supply of writing paper. Marched on turnpike to Petersburg and took the Frederick City road, bivou- acking at Heidlersberg.

BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG.

July i. Marched through Middletown towards Gettysburg. This proved to be one of the most eventful days of my life. We could hear and see the shelling in front of Gettysburg, and were soon in range. Rodes' division was actively engaged in a very short time. His old Alabama brigade, under Colonel O'Neal, was shelled fiercely. Captain James T. Davis of Company D was killed near me. Another shell exploded in my company and wounded Cor- poral J. H. Eason and Private Lucius Williams, while we halted in a hilly woods. We passed the woods and a wheat field, where private Rogers, our Baptist preacher, had his knee "shattered by a minie ball. We continued to advance and soon made a charge upon the enemy not far from the Seminary. We ran them some distance and halted. There Lieutenant Wright was wounded in the head, by my side. I spoke to him and he calmly asked me to