Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 34.djvu/180

 172 Southern Historical Society Papers.

House, where the heaviest fighting had occurred, and halted at the captured guns of Rickett's Battery, (U. S. regulars), which were being turned upon the retreating foe.

CARNAGE WAS AWFUL.

The charge of the Maryland and Tennessee regiments, with the Virginia regiment aligned thereon; with a simultaneous ad- vance of the Confederate lines; broke the enemy, who then be- gan the famous Bull Run rout. The carnage here (the Henry House plateau) was awful, the first of many sanguinary battles to follow. Fatigued almost to exhaustion, without food or water, we were yet marched after the retreating Yanks, across the stone bridge, then back to the battlefield in the night, where we slept upon the ground as soundly and satisfiedly as victorious soldiers ever did under like stress.

The first Maryland Battalion, infantry, was formed at Har- per's Ferry in May, 1861, and became a regiment in June fol- lowing, by the addition of more companies. They participated in the Valley campaign under Gen. Jos. E. Johnston, ending in the sudden movement of Johnston's army, July 18, and the forced march to the support of General Beauregard at Manassas. The Fourth Brigade (under Colonel Arnold Elzey, of the First Mary- land) was the last to reach the field of battle, July 21. Under the personal command of Gen. E. Kirby Smith, the Maryland regiment, upon detraining near Manassas Junction, was quickly started at double-quick to reinforce Stonewall Jackson, (who re- ceived his soubriquet that day), and the distance, about five miles, was made (it was said, in three-quarters of an hour) under the blazing sun, over a road so dusty that the clouds of dust raised by the brigade caused the enemy to conclude that large reinforce- ments were moving to the Confederate left, while on the other- hand, the Confederate generals, not expecting Elzey's brigade so soon y were apprehensive that the enemy was in their rear. Moreover, the colors could not be described, which dilemma re- sulted in the Stars and Bars giving place to the renowned Con- federate battle-flag, having a St. Andrew's cross on a red field- symbolical of suffering and blood and was designed by Gen- eral Beauregard, a Catholic.

Most conspicuous and inspiriting was the activity and manifest