Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 34.djvu/377

 Thirty-third Virginia at First Manassas. 369

them, and about the same time some shots from the enemy's artil- lery raked through the brush just over the regiment and tore up the ground uncomfortably near the men, and the two things together, coming about the same time, caused considerable confusion in a part of the regiment, and realizing that the most trying position that raw men, and even the best disciplined and bravest could be placed in, was to be required to remain still, doing nothing and re- ceiving the enemy's fire without returning it, I feared the conse- quences, if I strictly obeyed General Jackson's orders; therefore it was that I gave the orders to charge, contrary to his order to wait until the enemy was within thirty paces, the enemy being much further off at that time.

From this you will readily see how it happened that the Thirty- third made the charge before the other regiments made the charge as a brigade. A more gallant charge is rarely made than was then made by the Thirty-third (though in not a very good order). The men moved off with the greatest alacity, killed and drove off the gunners, shot down their artlillery heroes and captured the battery of artillery, but the loss was so great, there being about 43 killed and 140 wounded altogether, we were forced to abandon the cap- tured guns and fall back in the face of a deadly fire and overwhelm- ing numbers, and this was the first check the enemy received up to that time. Very soon thereafter the other regiments of the brigade made a charge and captured another battery. The pieces taken by the Thirty-third were situated considerably to the left (as we were facing) of the Henry House, and the pieces taken by the other regiments of the brigade were somewhat in the same line, but nearer the Henry House (the Robinson House being still further to the right). One of the men of the Thirty-third cut a bridle bit from a bridle of one of the artillery horses and gave me afterwards, which I have used ever since and have now. I am inclined to think, from what I have since learned that the battery or pieces taken by the Thirty-third was Griffin's, and that the one or pieces taken by the other regiments of the brigade was Rickett's or prob- ably, if there was but one battery in front of the brigade it was placed in two sections, the one on the left taken by the Thirty- third, and the other, in the same line, but nearer the Henry House, and the one taken but abandoned by the Thirty-third was also re- taken by the brigade.

I think, however, it is more probable that both Griffin's and