‘582 Nortu Carorina Troops, 1861-’65.

wecrossed a branch (whichI think wascalled Drake’s branch).
While making this move quite a number of Louisianians and
a part of a Mississippi Regiment in disorder, passed up a
hill to the rear.

Here the Sixth Regiment halted for a short time. Then
the regiment headed for a point in the rear of where Colonel
Bartow fell. When approaching near that point a courier
or mounted officer called to Colonel Fisher not to go in that
direction, for his regiment would be cut up by the Yankee
cavalry. Thereupon the regiment was turned abruptly to
the left, crossing an old worm fence, and passing behind a
dense pine thicket immediately in the rear of the Fourth
Alabama, Second Mississippi and two companies of the Eley-
enth Mississippi. On reaching an old road the regiment
turned to the right and passed along a thick copse of wood on
the left and soon emerged from the pines opposite the Missis-
sippi troops. When the right of the Sixth Regiment got
opposite the left of the Mississippi Regiment, I heard dis-
tinetly one of our field officers call to Colonel Fisher, “Colo-
nel, turn the head of your regiment this way.” To this Col-
onel Fisher paid no attention whatever, but passed on into an
angle formed by the Yankees in the Sudley road and the New
York Zouaves marching to turn our left flank. When the
left of company F, (third company in regiment), com-
manded by First Lieutenant Carter, came opposite the Mis-
sissippi regiment, one of our field officers called out, “Halt.”
Carter repeated the command, then “Right face.” Colonel
Fisher, who was but a short distance away, called out sharply,
“Who in the hell gave that command? . I am Colonel of this
regiment; follow me.”

Lieutenant Carter gave the command, “Left face, forward,
march.” No other company up to this time either halted or
right faced. Company F immediately followed’ the two com-
panies in its front. Lightfoot remarked, “Did any body
ever see the like.” Soon after this we were fired upon at an
angle from our left, the balls passing mostly over our heads,
only one man in our company being hit. He was shot in the
head. The second and third volley came low. About this
time Colonel Lightfoot came through the left of company F

 

 

Strxtu Regiment at Manassas. 583 *

and was slightly wounded, but this did not interfere with his
locomotion, calling out as he left, “Boys, take care of your-
selves,” and to their discredit or discretion, many took his
advice and emulated his example, but did not stop till they
reached Manassas, five miles away. Company F faced to
the rear and made a left wheel until they came on a line
somewhat in advance of the Mississippians and opened fire
upon a section of Sherman’s battery and two howitzers com-
manded by Captain Ricketts. About this time Companies
A, E, F and D got considerably mixed up. I was much em-
ployed in driving home with a stone the balls for our Irish
comrades. I was often called to, “Lieutenant, take this stone
and drive me ball down.” The kick of the gun was similar
to that of a mule, and the report was not much less than a
rifled 4-pounder.

About this juncture a Federal officer rode up to us waving
his hat and calling, ‘“For God’s sake stop; you are firing on
your friends.” On discovering his mistake he attempted to
ride away. As he passed the left of the Mississippians he
reeled and fell. He and his horse were both captured. This
officer turned out to be Wilcox, who afterwards became a
Major-General. Colonel Liddell, of the Eleventh Missis-
sippi, got his horse and rode him for many a day.

About this time the charge was made upon the battery.
On reaching the battery I found all the horses killed. The
two guns, 40-pounder’ brass howitzers, were unlimbered, but
not trained upon our regiment, but rather pointing in the
direction of the Second Mississippi. Our line passed the
battery and on approaching the old Sudley road, were sub-
jected to a heavy fire from Yankees stationed in the road,
and also from the New York Zouaves on our left.

In coming out of the fight I passed down the line of the
Zouaves. Whtether Colonel Fisher was killed by the Yan-
kees charging from the Sudley road, or the Zouaves on our
right, or from scattering shots from our own men, will never
be known.

Colonel Isaac E. Avery informed us that Captain Ricketts,
in a conversation with his brother, Col. Waightstill Avery, in-
formed him that “the position of Fisher’s Regiment was such

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