109

Presently there was heard from the right a voice, clear and distinct, and a
command many of us had heard and obeyed before. It was that of the gallant
Steuart "Attention! Forward, double-quick! March!" At a right-shoulder
shift the little battalion started forward to meet death and defeat. But ten feet
of woods intervened before the left companies of the Second Maryland and the
Virginia regiments and First North Carolina came into the field and were
exposed to the view of the enemy strongly posted in the woods less than two
hundred yards off. The woods uncovered the men of the regiments on the left
of the Second Maryland and they threw themselves upon the ground, and despite
the pleadings and curses of their officers refused to go forward. Never shall I
forget the expressions of contempt upon the faces of the men of the left com-
panies of the Second Maryland as they cast a side glance upon their comrades
who had proved recreant in this supreme moment. But the little battalion of
Marylanders, now reduced to about three hundred men, never wavered nor
hesitated, but kept on, closing up its ranks as great gaps were torn through them
by the merciless fire of the enemy in front and flank, and many of the brave
fellows never stopped until they had passed through the enemy's first line or had
fallen dead or wounded as they reached it. Three hundred Marylanders and
eighteen North Carolinians charging a strong position defended by three
brigades !

But flesh and blood could not withstand that circle of fire, and the survivors
fell back to the line of log breastworks, where they remained several hours,
repulsing repeated assaults of the enemy, until ordered by General Johnson to fall
back to Rock Creek.

General Steuart was heartbroken at the disaster, and wringing his hands,
great tears stealing down his bronzed and weather-beaten cheeks, he was heard
repeatedly to exclaim : "My poor boys! My poor boys!"

In this disastrous charge the noble Murray was killed, and being wounded
myself the command devolved upon the next ranking officer present, the veteran
Torsch.*

Ah! it was a sad, sad day that brought sorrow to many a poor Maryland
mother's heart.

Some years after the battle of Gettysburg the author was going over the field in
company with Colonel Batchelder, the Government historian. Arriving at the point where
the foremost of the men of the Second Maryland had fallen, Colonel Batchelder said he
would tell me an incident related to him by a Federal officer who had assisted in repulsing

* In the "Maryland Line" published in 1869, by an oversight the author said Captain Crane the rank-
ing officer, after the fall of Murray, took command of the battalion when it fell back to the breastworks
on the morning of the 3d. Captain Crane became separated from his command in tome manner during
the charge, and did not immediately rejoin it.