Glimpses of Army Life in 1864. II-'!
amongst whom was a colonel. We held this work until dark, and then fell back to our old position through the mud and rain. Heth did not meet with the anticipated success, although his was to have been the main attack. Stockton Heth, his aid, tells me that the enemy had fortified at right angles, and instead of taking them in flank, as was expected, it was like assaulting a work in front. They got only about twenty prisoners. That afternoon the cavalry had a fight on the right, and I suppose it was in this fight that General Dunnovant and Doctor Fontaine were killed. I am truly sorry to hear of the doctor's death ; he was such a gallant man, and seemed to be the life of his family. Colonel Barbour, who was wounded by a stray bullet last Friday, just before we advanced, has since died. My aid, Lieutenant Meade, behaved very handsomely. Others than myself noticed him, and I have heard him spoken of in the most complimentary terms for his gallantry. Captain Nicholson took Captain Male's place, and it was his first active fight under me, and he, too, behaved nobly. I selected him for my inspector- general on account of his face, which I thought was full of character. I was not mistaken, and I am very fond of him.
[VIII.] NEAR THE BATTLE-FIELD ON JONES' FARM,
October 6, 1864*
As I was advancing in the charge last Friday, I crossed a soldier kneeling over his dying brother, indifferent to his own great danger from the whistling bullets as he watched the gaspings of his dear one. He looked up into my face as I approached and said, " Gen- eral may I stay with my brother see he has been shot, I am no straggler." I replied, "I know what it is to lose a brother under similar circumstances, and I havn't the heart to order you forward. But your brother is shot through the head and is insensible you can do him no good and you know the general orders, we have an ambu- lance corps for such cases." Not* another word was spoken, and I moved on. That brave man soon afterwards seized his gun, left his dying brother, and as he passed me he said: " Here I am, general, I have thought over what you said and I am going to the front." He did go gallantly forward, and I have not been able to learn his name, though he belongs to the Seventh regiment. * *
- See Southern Historical Society Papers, page 355. History of Lane's
North Carolina brigade.
