Personal Reminiscences of the War of 1861-5: In Camp—en Bivouac—on the March—on Picket—on the Skirmish Line—on the Battlefield—and in PrisonMorgan, W. H. (William Henry)
History
Personal Reminiscences of the War of 1861-5: In Camp—en Bivouac—on the March—on Picket—on the Skirmish Line—on the Battlefield—and in Prison
Morgan, W. H. (William Henry)
Confederate States of America. Army. Virginia Infantry Regiment, 11th; Morgan, W. H. (William Henry), 1836-; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Personal narratives, Confederate; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Regimental histories
Longstreet's Brigade remained at and near Blackburn's Ford all through
the 19th and 20th of July, waiting for and expecting another attack,
discussing the events of the battle, and conjecturing as to what would
be the next move in the game of war. I remember talking with Lieut. Jim
Hord of Company H along this line, when he remarked, "There will be a
big battle Sunday—most all of the big fights come off on Sunday." This
prophecy came true. The brigade had received its baptism of fire, the
nerves and mettle of the men had been tried, and while it was a
nerve-racking ordeal, yet all had stood the test, so far as I remember,
except one officer in command of a company in the Eleventh Regiment,
whose nerve seemed to fail him. He was taken sick and collapsed; was
taken to the rear and never returned to his company.
I think if it had not been for pride and regard for reputation, a good
many of us would have been like a negro cook in Company C: George, who
belonged to my brother-in-law, Robert Cocke, and had been with the
company as one of the cooks, brought down from the camp at Manassas
about noon on the 18th some cooked rations, and when the battle
commenced, was back in the rear near the hospital. When the Yankee
shells began to fall and burst in his vicinity, George broke and ran for
dear life back to camp, stopping only long enough to say, "Dem big balls
come flying over me saying, 'Whar is you? whar is you?' an' I lit out
from dar in a hurry," and away he went up the railroad track four miles
to Bristow Station. The boys laughed at George a great many times about
his ignominious flight; George, however, never expressed a regret that
he took to his heels and made good time out of danger.
The Confederate lines extended along the south side of Bull Run about
eight miles, that small and insignificant stream having been chosen by
General Beauregard as his line of defense, instead of waiting, as was
expected by the inexperienced, for the enemy to come on to Manassas,
which position had been fortified and the forts mounted with big guns.
Of course, the enemy would have never attacked this place, but flanked
it, viz., marched around the place and forced the Confederates to
evacuate. On Bull Run the right of the Confederate lines was at Union
Mills, with General Ewell in command. Next up the run was McLean's Ford,
where General Jones and his brigade were posted. Next came Blackburn's
Ford, where, as before said, was posted Longstreet's Brigade; then came
General Bonham at Mitchell's Ford with his brigade; next above this was
Ball's Ford, with Gen. Phillip St. George Cocke in command of a brigade,
and lastly the Stone Bridge, the extreme Confederate left, in charge of
General Evans with his brigade. The general direction of Bull Run is
from west to east, or rather, from northwest to southeast.
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