534 JACKSON’S “FOOT-CAVALRY’’ AT THE SECOND BULL RUN.
SSfifP**;
E^SSiS
climax to the endurance of the jaded troops. Such specters of men theywere,—gaunt-cheeked and hollow-eyed, hair, heard, clothing, and accouter-ments covered with dust,—only their faces and hands, where mingled soil andsweat streaked and crusted the skin, showing any departure from the whitey-gray uniformity. The ranks were sadly thinned, too, by the stupendouswork of the previous week. Our regiment, which had begun the campaign1015 strong and had carried into action at Richmond 620, counted off thatThursday morning (August 28th) just 82 muskets! Such were the troopsabout to deliver battle on the already historic field of Manassas .
We were soon on the road again, heading west; we crossed Stone Bridge,and a short distance beyond, our ambulances halted, the brigade havingentered some woods on the right of the road ahead,—going into camp, Ithought. This pleasing delusion was soon dispelled by artillery firing in front,and our train was moved off through the fields to the right, out of range, andwas parked near Sudley Church. Everything pointed to a battle next day; thecustomary hospital preparations were made, but few, if any, wounded camein that night, and I slept soundly, a thing to be grateful for. My bedfellowand I had decided to report for duty in the morning, knowing that everymusket would be needed. I had picked up a good “ Enfield ” with the propertrappings, on the road from Centreville, to replace my own left in the aban-doned ambulance; and having broken my chills, and gained strength from