SIXTH REGIMENT AT MANASSAS,
Zi: JULY, 1668.

By B. F. WHITE, Caprain Company F.

The main facts related by Major A. C. Avery (Vol. 1 of
this work, pp. 240-349) in reference to the part the Sixth
Regiment took in the first battle of Manassas are correct, but
owing to his absence through sickness from the regiment
when all points of the battle were discussed and the field vis-
ited and reports made to the commission sent out by Gov-
ernor Clark, he has fallen into some errors. He fails to state
that the Sixth Regiment halted for some time in front of the
Lewis House, and that while here, Colonel Fisher rode for-
ward to ascertain at what point to lead forward his regi-
ment, at this juncture Lieutenant-Colonel Lightfoot request-
ed Major R. F. Webb to ask, for him, the privilege of put-
ting the regiment into line of battle, as Colonel Fisher had
not drilled the regiment and was incompetent to do it, and
further that Colonel Fisher and himself were not on good
terms. (This request Colonel Fisher refused.) Colonel
Lightfoot’s conduct towards Colonel Fisher had been such as
to create an estrangement and their relations were very far

from cordial.
On Colonel Fisher’s return, the regiment was moved sey-

eral hundred yards and drawn up at a right angle from its
former position. Avery states that this was our first posi-
tion. After remaining here for some time a few shells from
the enemy’s battery passed over our heads. One passed
through our ranks as it bounded on the ground; the men
opened ranks and as it did not burst no one was hurt. Im-
mediately after this we were ordered forward, marching in
file, turned a little to the left, passed down a hill through a
wood. On emerging from the woods into an old sedge field,