Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 33.djvu/62

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58 Southern Historical Society Papers.

Army. His brother, General Terrill, of the United States Army, was a West Pointer, and had been killed at Perryville, Ky.

Colonel Christian's account of this combat gives us a picturesque glimpse of the charge of the Forty-ninth Virginia Regiment, which made its mark under Colonel (Governor) William Smith, at First Manassas, and sustained its reputation to the close of its career. Colonel Christian was a V. M. I. man and one of those sturdy righting men who always had "his place in the picture by the blasting of the guns." His adventures from Bethesda Church to Morris island bring vividly before the mind the days that verily "tried men's souls."

The army was so steadily fighting- at the time of this action that reports are scant, and Colonel Christian is doing his State and his comrades worthy service in thus giving his memory of valiant deeds. JOHN W. DANIEL.

Editor of The Times- Dispatch:

Sir: This was the bloodiest fight of our Civil War considering the number engaged on our side. The per cent, in killed and wounded was three times as great as that of the French at the battle of Waterloo. The loss of officers was full ninety per cent, of all en- gaged (mostly killed.) It was there the dashing Colonel Edward Willis, of the 1 2th Georgia (in temporary command of our brigade), was killed. His staff officer, the chivalrous young Lieutenant Ran- dolph,* of Richmond, also was killed; 'twas there the brave Col. J. B. Terrill, of the Thirteenth Virginia, ended his useful career, as did, also, Major Warkins, the brave soldier of the Fifty-second.

'Twas there Colonel J. C. Gibson, like an old "war-horse," al- ways scenting the battle in the breeze, came down from the hospi- tal on one leg and got the other shattered to pieces. In fact, every field officer and nearly every company officer in the brigade, present in action, was either killed or wounded. General Lee's lines were

formed at right angles to the road leading down James

River near second Cold Harbor. The enemy on our front shifted

  • Joseph Tucker Randolph, eldest son of the late veteran bookseller and

publisher, Joseph W. Randolph and his wife Honora Mary Tucker, sister of Captain John Randolph Tucker, U. S. Navy, the late Major Norman V. Randolph, identified so conspicuously with the weal and progress of our city and section, was a younger son.