gh the wilderness if you will only
go back." And they said, numbers of the men crowded about the General,
and begged him, with tears, to return, and some caught hold of his feet,
and some his bridle rein, and turned his horse round, and led him back a
few steps,--all the time pleading with him. And then, the General seeing
the feelings of his men, and that he was _actually checking the charge_
by their anxiety for him, said, "I'll go, my men, if you will drive back
those people," and he rode off, they said, with his head down, and they
saw tears rolling down his cheeks. And they said, many of the men were
sobbing aloud, overcome by this touching scene. Then with one yell, and
the tears on their faces, those noble fellows hurled themselves on the
masses of the enemy like a thunderbolt. Not only did they stop the
advance, but their resistless fury swept all before it and they followed
the broken Federals half a mile. They redeemed their promise to General
Lee. Eight hundred of them went in, four hundred, only, came out. They
covered with glory that day, not only themselves, who did such deeds,
but their leader, who could inspire such feelings at such a moment in
the hearts of these men. Half their number fell in that splendid charge,
but--they saved the line, and they gloriously redeemed their promise to
General Lee--"We'll do all you want, if you will only get out of fire."
I cannot think of anything stronger than to say that--This General, and
these soldiers, were worthy of each other. There is no higher praise!

As the Brigades of Field's division, that followed the Texans, went in,
a little incident took place, which illustrated the irrepressible spirit
of fun which would break out everywhere, and which we often laughed at
afterwards. General Anderson's Brigade was ahead, followed hard by
Benning's Brigade, gallant Georgians all, and led by Brigadiers, of whom
nothing better can be said, than that they were worthy to lead them.
Among the men General Anderson had somehow got the soubriquet of "Tige"
and General Benning enjoyed the equally respectful name of "Old Rock."
On this occasion, Anderson was ahead, and as he moved out of sight into
the woods, his men began to yell and shout like everything. One of
Anderson's men, wounded, blood dropping from his elbow and running down
his face, was coming out, when he met General Benning, at the head of
his column, pushing in as hard as he could go. As this fellow passed
him, ta