158 Nortru CaroLtina TROOPS, 1861-65. forced by a fresh line) and jumping upon a stump, waved the flag defiantly at the enemy, making himself a most conspicu- ous target for their marksmen. Of course, he could not have lived many seconds on that stump, but his brilliant dash had an inspiring influence on our entire line, which, raising the “Rebel Yell,” rushed with such impetuosity upon the enemy that they were quickly driven from the field and the gallant Sergeant, amid the cheers of his comrades, de- scended from the stump unharmed. History loves to dwell upon the gallant act of Sergeant Jasper, in climbing the flag- - staff under the enemy’s bombardment, and restoring to its place the flag that had been shot down at Fort Moultrie, but Sergeant Jasper’s act was one of prudence and safety, com- pared with the rashness and peril of that of Sergeant Ryer- son. BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG. On-13 December the enemy opened the battle, moving a heavy force against our lines near Hamilton’s Crossing, where Jackson’s Corps was posted, with himself in personal com- mand. They made a bold rush upon us, but we met them with such a storm of shell and canister and bullets that they were soon driven back. There was a place where our lines did not connect and a column of the enemy penetrated this gap and gained the crest of the hills; but we had a reserve line which raised the “Rebel Yell,” and charged upon them and sent them flying down the hills again. In their retreat a large number of the enemy took shelter in a railroad cut that ran along the foot of the hills and our pursuing line charged right on over them, leaving them in the rear, while it pursued the others out in the open plain beyond. In returning to the lines all those men in the railroad cut were made prisoners, which they recognized themselves as being when we passed over them. The battle of Fredericksburg was now over, but we did not know it and we took advantage of the night to re- arrange our lines and strengthen our position for the next day’s anticipated conflict. But when the morning of the next day came and we were bracing ourselves for another grapple with the enemy, we discovered in looking out over sinew nhc NR MORNIN TRE TT LI TN TTT NTT NE nN TT Twenty-First REGIMENT. 159 the plain that they were not there. The enemy had learned by sad experience the impossibility of forcing us from our ad- mirable position, and while we were busily engaged during the night in strengthening our position, he was silently re- moving to the other side of the river out of the range of our guns on those frowning hills. L. E. Powrrs, Lieutenant Company A. Rutuerrorpton, N. C., 9 April, 1901. Norr.—Soon after Pope issued his braggart proclamation, above re- ferred to, including his famous declaration his ‘‘Headquarters were in the saddle,’”’ news came rapidly of his successive and overwhelming de- feats. Whereat the New York Herald, pithily and wittily said, ‘‘What else could you expect from a general who did not know his headquar- ters from his hindquarters.’’ Copies of the paper got into the Southern lines and created much amusement.—Eb.