e heavy shelling, and I found myself open to the reproach visited
previously on my men. Whether from fatigue, loss of sleep, or what,
there I was, nervous as a lady, ducking like a mandarin. It was
disgusting, and, hoping that no one saw me, I resolved to take it out of
myself the first opportunity. There is a story of Turenne, the greatest
soldier of the Bourbons, which, if not true, is _ben trovato_. Of a
nervous temperament, his legs on the eve of an action trembled to such
an extent as to make it difficult to mount his horse. Looking at them
contemptuously, he said: "If you could foresee the danger into which I
am going to take you, you would tremble more." It was with a similar
feeling, not only for my legs, but for my entire carcass, that I reached
Ewell, and told him I was no more good than a frightened deer. He
laughed, and replied: "Nonsense! 'tis Tom's strong coffee. Better give
it up. Remain here in charge while I go out to the skirmishers. I can't
make out what these people are about, for my skirmish line has stopped
them. They won't advance, but stay out there in the wood, making a great
fuss with their guns; and I do not wish to commit myself to much advance
while Jackson is absent." With this, he put spurs to his horse and was
off, and soon a brisk fusillade was heard, which seemed gradually to
recede. During Ewell's absence, surrounded by his staff, I contrived to
sit my horse quietly. Returning, he said: "I am completely puzzled. I
have just driven everything back to the main body, which is large. Dense
wood everywhere. Jackson told me not to commit myself too far. At this
rate my attentions are not likely to become serious enough to commit any
one. I wish Jackson was here himself." I suggested that my brigade might
be moved to the extreme right, near the Capon road, by which Fremont had
marched, and attempt to strike that road, as this would enable us to
find out something. He replied: "Do so; that may stir them up, and I am
sick of this fiddling about." Had Ewell been in command, he would have
"pitched in" long before; but he was controlled by instructions not to
be drawn too far from the pike.

We found the right of our line held by a Mississippi regiment, the
colonel of which told me that he had advanced just before and driven the
enemy. Several of his men were wounded, and he was bleeding profusely
from a hit in his leg, which he was engaged in binding with a
handkerchief, remarking that "it did not