Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 34.djvu/261

 Thirty-second at Sharpsburg. 25o

At about this time General Semmes came to our colors, and saw me still shooting away as fast as I could load, and asked where the enemy was located. I told him behind that fence in front. He said, "Yes, and they will kill the last one of us, and that we must charge them." He gave the command to charge. Bob Forrest went forward several paces in front and waited for the line of battle to come up, and Lieutenant Henry St. Clair, of Company I, ran up to him and said, " Bob Forrest, why in the h-11 don't you go forward with the flag; if you won't go, give it to me," and started for it. Bob Forrest, as brave a man as ever lived, said to him, "You shan't have it; I will carry this flag as far as any man; bring your line up and we will all go up together." They did come up, and took the fence and drove the enemy up the hill. This practically ended the fighting in our front during that awful day. This is the best account I can give. I well know that the old Thirty-second Virginia did her full duty on that terrible, bloody

day.

JOHN T. PARHAM,

Late Ensign 32d Virginia Infantry.

P. S. I omitted to state that Capt. W. S. Stores, of Co. I, the color company, and Serg't- Major Jos. V. Bidgood were present and did their full duty, and are both now alive, and could give a good account of the battle. Joseph V. Bidgood's father was our chap- lain. I have heard that Major Willis, chaplain of the Fifteenth Virginia, had his coat shot all to pieces, and did not receive a scratch. He was one of our many fighting chaplains would fight with his men during the day and preach and pray with them at night. J. T. P.