A terrible scene.
Here is what
Major Dabney, on
Jackson's staff, says in his life of
Stonewall Jackson.
After describing the position of the brigades that were already in line of battle to our right, he comes to that occupied by the Second brigade: ‘The whole angle of forest was now filled with clamor and horrid rout, the left regiments of the Second brigade were taken in reverse, intermingled with the enemy, broken and massacred from front to rear.
The regiments of the right, and especially the 21st Virginia, commanded by that brave Christian soldier,
Colonel Cunningham, stood firm, and fought the enemy before then like lions, until the invading line had penetrated within twenty yards of their rear.
For the terrific din of the musketry, the smoke, and the dense foliage concealed friend from foe, until they were only separated from each other by this narrow interval.
Their heroic colonel was slain, the order of officers were unheard amidst the shouts of the assailants, and all the vast uproar; yet the remnant of the Second brigade fought on, man to man, without rank or method, with bayonet thrust and musket clubbed, but borne back like the angry foam on a mighty wave toward the high road.’
Lieutenant-Colonel Garnett, commanding the Second brigade, pays the 21st Virginia special mention in his official report.
As likewise does
Brigadier-General Taliaferro, of the Third brigade, and
Brigadier-General Early, of
Ewell's division, says in his report that his attention was directed especially in the general advance towards a small band of the 21st Virginia with their colors, as every few minutes the color-bearer would shake out his colors seemingly in defiance to the enemy.
