Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 37.djvu/212

204 spot, opened fire and a most terrific cannonading followed. We knew there was hard work ahead for some of us, and sure enough just about sunrise there came an order for Mahone's old Virginia Brigade to hold itself in readiness to move at a moment's notice, and before we could get ready, there came the order for us to fall into line, without knowing what was ahead of us. After the line was formed, we were ordered to divest ourselves of all baggage, and to carry nothing but our arms and ammunition and a canteen of water, this being done we headed towards the cemetery, and when arrived at the mouth of the covered way, used to protect our men when relieving picket, we marched up that covered way until we reached an angle, we then left the ditch, flanked to the right and marched a short distance down a ravine until nearly opposite the point where the mine was sprung, and w<ere ordered to lie down. General Mahone was at the angle in the ditch, and saw the brigade pass. He had ordered the Georgia Brigade to form on the right of the Virginia Brigade, but failing to get there in time, he took a position in rear of his old brigade, for the purpose, as I supposed, to watch the movements of the enemy, and well enough did he, for they were getting ready to charge us, as we heard distinctly the command "Fix bayonets and no quarters." Just at that juncture, General Mahone being in rear of the brigade with General Weisiger on the right, the order came from General Mahone, as I have always thought, from that day to the present, to charge the enemy.

It has been a disputed question ever since the war as to who gave the command to charge the enemy, some claiming the order came from General Weisiger, while others say the order came from General Mahone. If General Weisiger gave the order, I did not hear him, as he was on the right of the line, and I on the left. I did hear the order, however, and coming from the rear, as I thought, and while I would not say or do anything (even if it was in my power), to wrest from General Weisiger any of the honors to which he was entitled on that occasion, I am still of the opinion the order to charge came from General Mahone. In a moment we were up and started up hill, where we could see the enemy in line, and fortunately for us, the first