We were again formed in line of battle and went forward. We soon came upon one of the most

interesting and stirring scenes of war. A Texas brigade had just charged a line of

Federals uniformed as zoo-offs, red skull cap, blue jackets, and red breeches with white

gators. Those red clothes must have inflamed the Texans, as the red flag is said to inflame

the wild bull, for I never but once during the war saw such slaughter as we witnessed

while advancing over this ground. From the line of battle where the Texans first struck

them all along the grassy slope down, which they were driven, these red breech troops lay

scattered in every direction. A little further on we saw the Texans who had stopped the pursuit.

They were in high spirits and cheered us as we swept rapidly on. Their loss had been

slight but they had gotten into great disorder in the chase. I remember seeing all their

battle flags in a huddle. Private Westwood A-Tod, 12th Virginia infantry, Mahones Brigade.

I have just arrived from Richmond. I was taken prisoner while attending to your dear

husband's wounds. It is my painful duty to inform your dear madam that your husband

is dead. He fell near me while doing all that a brave man could do to hold his men to

the support of a battery. He fell from his horse, his foot fast in the stirrups. His horse

was about to run with him in this condition, but I caught him and took his foot out of

the stirrup and laid him on the ground. I found him to be severely wounded high up on

the thigh, the ball rupturing the main artery. With the strap the lieutenant Colonel gave

me, I succeeded in stopping the hemorrhage of the wound. I was in the act of tightening

it when I looked behind me. I found the rebels had charged past the battery and were within

two rods of us. These passed over us without noticing me. They fought over us for about

fifteen minutes in which time your husband was wounded again in the same leg below the

...