Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 5.
Frank Moore, Ed.

At five A. M. The division, under the command of Brig.-General J. S. Jackson, consisting of the Thirty-third brigade, Brig.-Gen. William R. Terrell commanding--

And the Thirty-fourth brigade, Colonel George Webster, commanding:

left Maxville, on the road to Perryville, distant about nine miles. The One Hundred and First Indiana, Col. William Garver, also belonging to the Thirty-third brigade, was detailed as guard to the train ordered that morning to Springfield, and consequently did not participate in the action.

We had not proceeded far before we heard the booming of cannon in the distance, and when about three miles on the road, Capt. Bartlett of the artillery, and for the day acting as aid to Gen. Terrell, met our front, with orders from General McCook to move up without delay, and to throw out one regiment as skirmishers to the left of our line of march. Leaving to keep our column in rear of skirmishers, who were travelling over a very rough and broken country, we were delayed in our progress nearly an hour.

The General, with his staff, rode forward to where temporary headquarters for the corps was established, and which afterward proved to be about the centre of the scene of action. At this time some batteries, I believe of Gen. Rousseau's, were in action at long-range on the right, and Gen. Jackson, not then contemplating a general engagement, ordered me back to bring up the troops, and to place the two brigades at rest on right and left of the road.

The Thirty-fourth brigade, Col. Webster, soon came up, and in my absence and delay, in clearing the road of ambulances and ammunition-wagons, to enable the Thirty-third brigade to come up, the battery of Capt. Harris was moved across the main road to the left, and put in position on the right of a high, level ridge.

It soon opened fire at long-range, no enemy then being visible, and the regiments belonging to the same brigade were placed in position in the rear and left of the battery, under the crest of the hill, as will be seen by the report of Lieut. E. E. Kennon, Assistant Adjutant-General, herewith submitted.

Here I rejoined General Jackson; a few rounds having opened the enemy's batteries, a twelve-pounder shot came within a foot of anticipating the fatal stroke he received soon afterward. Riding toward our left, and a little in advance of Harris's battery, we came upon an open knob, where we found Gen. McCook and all his staff watching some beautiful artillery practice, by Stone's battery, further on our left, firing up a wide ravine upon the enemy's cavalry moving up a road to our front.

Here Capt. Parsons was located soon after, and by two P. M. opened with round-shot and shell. The One Hundred and Twenty-third Illinois had been previously brought on the field, forming our extreme left, in a parallel line. Soon after the battery was in position, the One Hundred and Fifth Ohio, Col. Hall, came up, and took position on the rear and left of the battery, and the Eightieth Illinois, Col. Allen, through misdirection of the guide, came up later, and formed in the valley near the edge of the woods, as will be seen by the report of Captain William Anderson, A. A.G., herewith submitted.

This battery had fired but a few shots, when we heard rifle-practice below in the woods, where the enemy soon advanced and were in sight on the edge of the woods fronting our troops. No sooner was this seen by Gen. Terrell and Lieut. Parsons, then directing the fire of the guns, than they changed the direction of the fire, and opened at short-range (about ninety yards) on the flank of the enemy with grape, with deadly accuracy. It checked the advance of the enemy, and after a few more rounds they changed front and faced the battery, which then flanked our left. Gen. Terrell seeing this, ordered the advance of the One Hundred and Twenty-third Illinois, Colonel Monroe, and to charge bayonet. It advanced bravely, but unfortunately the enemy had not then left the woods, and there was a rail-fence on its edge, which prevented their doing so promptly. The regiment fired a volley and fell back, when, almost immediately afterward, Gen. Jackson, who was standing on the left of the battery, was killed, two bullets entering his right breast. At the moment, I was on the right of the battery watching the gallant defence then being made by our troops on the left. Returning to the General to report the same, I found him on his back struggling to speak, but unable to do so. He died in a few moments.

His staff-officers at once removed his body from the crest of the hill some fifty yards. Mr. Wing, one of the General's volunteer aids, went for an ambulance, and whilst I was absent, notifying Gen. Terrell and Col. Webster of the General's death, instructing the latter to take entire control of his brigade until he received further orders