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584 Nortu Carorina Troops, 1861-65. e

that he supposed them to be a support for his battery ;” that
had he a minute’s time longer, that he would have swept the
whole head of our column down; that all of his men were
either killed or wounded. This was the turning point in the
battle. In falling back we passed directly in front of the
Zouaves and were subjected to a heavy fire, the balls passing
mostly over our heads, doing us little damage.

Our line passed the battery and on approaching the old
Sudley road were subjected to a heavy fire from the enemy
stationed in it and also a flank fire from the New York
Zouaves on our left, we were compelled to retreat. On leav-
ing the field we passed through the line of Kirby Smith’s
men, who were coming up as a support. On reaching the
battery they found the dead and wounded Yankees lying
around and honestly supposed that they did it. I passed a
Virginia Colonel who I was told was Colonel Fletcher or
Colonel Kemper. On getting back to the branch at the foot
of the hill and edge of the woods the scattered men of the
Sixth were formed into line and marched forward to the left
of Kirby Smith’s command and led to the rear of one of
our batteries, which did fine execution on the retreating
columns of the enemy. We pursued the enemy as far as the
stone house. There was still firing to the east. Here we
were halted and addressed by President Davis, who told us
of the glorious victory we had won.

On the roll being called there were found to be present one
hundred and twenty-five (125) men of the Sixth Regiment.
Twenty-five of these were from Company F.

Captain James Craige, whose company (G) was near the
left of the regiment, was leading up his company in file, when
he received a fire from an advancing column from the Sud-
ley road, ten of his men fell dead in a bunch, being only two
less than one-half of the number killed in the regiment.
Two-thirds of the regiment was blanketed by the three or
four forward companies and the left companies took very lit-
tle part in the fight simply from the position of the regi-
ment and conduct of Lieutenant-Colonel Lightfoot. I have
passed over the ground four times that the Sixth Regiment
passed over in going into action. There was not at that

e Stxto Reeiment at Manassas. 585

time, forty years ago, a gully which a man on horseback
could not easily have crossed. The two guns brought over
the Sudley road to the front of the Henry House were never
fired from that position, not because of the nature of the
ground, but simply because the battery was disabled, the men
being either killed or wounded.

I am of the opinion that Colonel Fisher, Lieutenant Man-
gum and others were killed by our troops over on the old Sud-
ley road and not by the enemy. Where the Sixth Regiment
fought is free from gullies or steep hillsides. At the time of
the battle all that ground was in virgin forest, piney old field
and sedge, except where we joined in the flank movement.

On the evening of the battle I heard Colonel Fletcher, of
Virginia, boasting of the capture of the battery by his regi-
ment. I told him how it was done, but he would not stand
corrected. The Virginians still claim the honors, I believe.

B. F. Wurre.

Mepane, N. C.,
81 December, 1901.

Nore —A very interesting account of the Sixth at Manassas is also
given by Gen. Clingman in this vol. at p. 29, ante.—Ep.