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Orange plank-road.
The turnpike and plank-road each runs from
Fredericksburg to Orange Courthouse.
Palmer's old field on the turnpike and
Tapp's old field on the
Orange plank-road, the site of the memorial stone just erected, are about five miles apart, and were the centres of heaviest fighting in the
battle of the Wilderness.
Heroism and devotion to Lee.
In commemoration of their heroism and devotion to
General Lee shown by the
Texas brigade this stone was erected.
The scene, the memory of which we would thus perpetuate, is graphically described by
Rev. J. William Jones in his ‘
Personal Reminiscences of General R. E. Lee.’
It was a crisis in the battle when
Longstreet's corps first came upon the field, headed by the ‘
Texas brigade, led by the gallant
Gregg.’
‘
General Lee rode to meet them,’ and was advancing as their leader in the charge.
The soldiers perceiving this shouted: ‘Go back,
General Lee.’
‘Do go back.’
‘
General Lee to the rear!’
A ragged veteran stepped from the ranks and seized his bridle-rein.
The command refused to advance until their beloved chieftain had retired.
Then those gallant Texans nobly rushed forward and drove the enemy from the field.
Around the hallowed spot where this stone now stands are the open graves of about forty of that fearless and devoted band, who attested their love for
General Lee and their country.
Their remains were removed and now sleep in the
Confederate cemetery of
Fredericksburg.
General Longstreet was soon after wounded by his own men near this spot while leading a victorious charge.
Had the record of him then been ‘Dead on the
Field of Glory,’ his happy fate would have been like that of ‘
Wolfe falling in the arms of victory on the
Heights of Abraham.’