[239] as rapidly as possible our trains to Bowling Green. To-day the great battle of Chancellorsville began, and Rode's old brigade of Alabamians charged the Yankees brilliantly, driving them out of their newly erected breastworks thrice in succession, and capturing three batteries with horses and equipments entire attached.
Captain McNeely of Company F, was severely wounded in right leg, below the knee, by a grape shot tearing a hole through the flesh. Privates Chappell and Henderson were wounded in the arm. Chappell was engaged in a close, hand to hand encounter when injured. Poor Ben was carried, at the point of the bayonet, into the engagement, complaining all the while of being sick, but he only had what we called ‘battle-field colic,’ and was forced into the thickest of the fray, where he received a bullet in one of his arms, and from the wound lost the arm and spent the remainder of the war at home. The day's fight was a grand success for our arms. Our wagon train was moving all night to escape Stoneman's Yankee cavalry, which was reported as ravaging the country, after having taken Marye's Heights, and to be now in search of our train. We passed a few miles beyond Bowling Green.
May 3. The great battle continued today. Rodes' Brigade, to quote that officer's language, ‘covered itself with glory.’ Generals Jackson and Stuart complimented it. Rodes was made a full Major General, and after the distressing news of Stonewall Jackson's wound, became senior officer of the field under Lee. He was in actual command of the army next to Lee, but his modesty caused him to turn over the command to Gen. J. E. B. Stuart of the cavalry, one of the most dashing officers I ever saw. In F Company, Capt. McNeely, Joe Black, Tom Foulk, Jim Lester, West Moore, Fletch Zachry, and Sergt. Simmons were wounded. The 12th Alabama lost four captains and three lieutenants, among them Capt. H. W. Cox, and Lieut. Dudley. We lost a total of 134 men out of our small regiment, in killed, wounded and missing. Thirteen were killed outright and 87 wounded severely. The brigade lost five field officers. Lieut. Col. A. M. Gordon, brother of Gen. John B. Gordon, was killed. He was a fine officer and a true Christian.
After being shot he calmly said he was willing to die for the cause. ‘Fighting Joe's’ army was terribly repulsed, and forced to retreat beyond the Rappahannock.
The enemy's cavalry contented itself with tearing up a part of the
