Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 38.djvu/227

 pound of meat and one pound of bread a day for each soldier—marching and fighting in ragged clothes and shoes outworn—fighting and marching with dauntless courage and marvellous heroism.

It was at Sharpsburg, the 17th of September, that General Lee, with 40,000 men like this, met General McClellan, with 37,000 well-armed, well-shod, well-fed, well-clad soldiers. "Every man in both armies who had been marching and fighting since the first of April knew that this was to be a battle of giants," writes the historian of the regiment. The Federal General Hooker afterward wrote: "It has never been my fortune to witness a more bloody, dismal battlefield."

What the Confederates suffered is shown in one scene General Hooker describes: "The Confederates were discovered by their gleaming bayonets, standing thick in a field of growing corn. The Federal artillery opened fire, and in less time than it takes to write the story every stalk of corn was cut to the ground. Every Confederate lay prone upon the earth."

Wright's brigade broke camp some five miles from Harpers Ferry about dark on the 16th, and marched all night, over heavy, wet roads, covering fourteen miles. In the early dawn the men reached the Potomac, and without a halt marched down the steep riverside and through the cold water, waist and knee-deep. These brave soldiers were very tired, and many had fallen by the way. Their number had also been reduced by hard service since April, so that when the brigade came within sight and sound of flaming shell and booming cannon, only from 100 to 150 of the Third Georgia were along. Nearing Sharpsburg the brigade met other troops that had marched all night to come to the aid of "Uncle Robert."

A little after sunrise Wright's men flung down their knapsacks, formed in line and very soon came upon the field of battle at a double-quick! Answering the welcoming shouts of men already on the field, they rushed on in a desperate charge, a "death-like" struggle with the enemy; but the brigade lost heavily. General Wright was wounded; Colonel Tones took his place, was