Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 37.djvu/245

 The army was so steadily fighting at the time of this action that reports were scant, and Colonel Christian is doing his State and his comrades worthy service in thus giving his memory of valiant deeds.

4em

Editor of The Times Dispatch:

Sir,—This was the bloodiest fight of our Civil War considering the number engaged on our side. The per cent, in killed and wounded was three times as great as that of the French at the battle of Waterloo. The loss of officers was full ninety per cent, of all engaged (mostly killed). It was there the dashing Colonel Edward Willis, of the Eighty-Second Georgia (in temp' orary command of our brigade), was killed. His staff officer the chivalrous young Lieutenant Randolph, of Richmond, also was killed; 'twas there the brave Colonel J. B. Terrill, of the Thirteenth Virginia, ended his useful career, as did, also, Major Watkins, the brave soldier of the Fifty-second.

'Twas there Colonel J. C. Gibson, like an old "war-horse,-" always scenting the battle in the breeze, came down from the hospital on one leg and got the other shattered to pieces. In fact, every field officer, and nearly every company officer, in the brigade, present in action, was either killed, or wounded. General Lee's lines were formed at right angle to the road leading down James River near second Cold Harbor. Then enemy on our front shifted their position and threw up earthworks lower down the road, and parallel to it. Orders came to Early 's old brigade (the Fourth Virginia), composed of the Forty-ninth, Fifty-second, Fifty-eighth, Thirty-first, and Thirteenth Regiments, to march down the road and make a reconnoissance preliminary to second Cold Harbor battle. Our regiment, the Forty-ninth Virginia,having lost nine color-bearers in the battle from Wilderness to Richmond, I went down the line to select another, I came to a tall, lanky beardless boy, from the mountains of Amherst, with a "red cap" on, so soon to die, but to die game. I said, "Orendorf, will you carry the colors?" He replied, "Yes, Colonel, I will carry them. They killed my brother the other day; now damn them let them kill me too." He took