38 NortH Carotina Troops, 1861-65.

wall Jackson and some of the staff wounded, and some two or
three couriers killed, was the result of that volley.

Lane’s ambulance corps was in our immediate rear, and
was called into use. A blanket was placed over General
Jackson to keep his wounding from being known, as he was
carried to the rear.

I pulled the cape of his overcoat over the head of one of
Hill’s couriers, that fell about where I had last seen Colonel
Purdie. They were about the same size and resembled each
other very much. In the darkness I was mistaken. Purdie was
safe and sound at the left of the regiment. About a half hour
after the wounding of Jackson, another firing took place
along the line, and A. P. Hill, who had gone to the front on
foot to look for something that was left, where Jackson was
wounded, was shot in the calf of his leg. Hill was much
displeased, and was reproving us for firing at a noise, ete. <A
company B back-woodsman laconically remarked: ‘Every-
body knows the Yankee army can’t run the ‘Light Division,’
and one little general needn’t try it.” This sally restored
him to normal condition and he limped down the road, stay-
ing on the field till General J. E. B. Stewart, the chivalrous
cavalryman, came from near Ely’s ford when he turned the
command over to him. Hill may have had a contusion from
a bursting shell as mentioned by various writers of the inci-
dent, but he certainly got a minie ball in his leg after Jack-
son was wounded.

How Jackson and Hill, their staff and couriers got in front
was never satisfactorily explained. Neither of them was in
the habit, day or night, of riding or otherwise going in front
of the skirmishers, or line, when they ordered an advance,
and the enemy known to be at a short distance on that night
they certainly would not knowingly have put themselves be-
tween the lines at such a time. Such a body of horsemen
could not have ridden through any part of Lane’s brigade
that night without its being known. We were never more
on the alert, and wide awake than that night, and I don’t re-
member to have ever heard of a member of the brigade say-
ing that he knew they had gone in our front.

My recollection is that when Hill and Jackson came for-

RTE eT eA hn TI EEE AE ETERS ERNE REBAR manent persia wie tc we

EIGHTEENTH REGIMENT. 39

ward to know why Lane did not advance and again directed
him to do so, they went to the rear, to a large field, on the left
of the road, where Rodes, Colston, Trimble and others were
reforming their commands. It was more than probable that
the delay occurring by the complication on Lane’s right,
caused them to ride forward on the mountain road, leading
towards Chancellorsville, passing beyond Lane’s left, and
they were thus in our front, when the firing began. What-
ever may be the true statement of how they got in that posi-
tion, there was nothing more certain than that they came
from our front when the firing began. :

It was generally conceded that the Eighteenth Regiment
fired the fatal shots. None regretted the occurrence more
than we did, and the army did not blame us for the manner
or measure of our discharge of our duty, though others did.

The Eighteenth and Twenty-eighth were transferred to
the right of the brigade about 11 o’clock and repulsed an at-
tack made upon that flank, capturing many prisoners in addi-
tion to the regiment captured there earlier in the night. The
skirmish lines were not far apart, and the least noise brought
on a volley.

With empty stomachs we slept on our arms, gs best we
could, between the firings.

Our ears caught the rumbling of artillery wheels and the
clatter of many axes, making us painfully aware that Chan-
cellorsville Hill was fortified for the morrow’s work. Stu-
art gave orders that the attack be made at 4 o’clock next morn-
ing. At early dawn Hill’s division, commanded by Heth,
was put in motion. The right of Lane being deflected was
wheeled to the left to get in line. The first and second breast-
works were carried before sunrise. Hill’s right brigades
found the enemy entrenched where Lane had fought them the
night before, and had to fight into position to advance. Be-
ing thus detained Lane was exposed on his right, and lost
heavily at the second breastworks.

Colonel Purdie was killed, and Lieutenant-Colonel George
wounded, Major Barry had a captain left to command the
right and a lieutenant to command the left wing of the regi-
ment, a fearful loss, and he was the only one of thirteen regi-