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[103] troops, but even their presence was unavailing; when it occurred to General Beauregard that the sight of their regimental colors, borne to the front by their officers, would instil new vigor into the men, and restore confidence and order among them. He instructed the colonels to plant their colors fifty yards in advance, and call upon their troops to rally on them. This was done, and proved a complete success. Few, if any, of the men remained behind; and an unbroken line of battle again confronted the foe. It was just before the execution of this brilliant device of General Beauregard's, to the inspiriting effect of which may be attributed the retrieved fortune of the day, that General Bee, while addressing his troops and urging them forward, said of General Jackson's brigade, which had not yet been engaged, but awaited, unmoved, the attack of the enemy: ‘Look at Jackson's brigade; it stands there like a stone wall’—memorable words, that consecrated to fame a command whose invincibility became proverbial under the immortal hero who first led it into battle.

While our line was being reformed, and with a view to strengthening the morale of he troops, both General Johnston and General Beauregard, riding abreast with the color-bearer, led the 4th Alabama on the field, and directly engaged it with the enemy. This gallant regiment had lost all its field-officers; seeing which, General Beauregard shortly afterwards intrusted its command to S. R. Gist, of South Carolina, a young officer who had already attracted his attention, and who was then acting as volunteer aide-de-camp to General Bee. The untiring energy and cool daring of both Generals Johnston and Beauregard, as they hurried forth to the points needing their presence, produced a lasting impression on officers and men who witnessed that part of the struggle.

General Jackson had already moved up with his brigade of five Virginia regiments, and taken position below the brim of the plateau, to the left of the ravine where stood the remnants of Bee's, Bartow's, and Evans's commands. With him were Imboden's battery and two of Stanard's pieces, supported in the rear by J. F. Preston's and Echolls's regiments, by Harper's on the right, and by Allen's and Cummings's on the left.

It was now clearly demonstrated that upon this ground was the battle to be fought. The enemy had forced us upon it, and there all our available forces were being concentrated. This fact once established, it became evident that the presence of both Generals

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