two of the Signal corps just behind them, followed by couriers. Jackson was desirous of getting information useful to Hill's advance, thinking perhaps a skirmish line was still in his front. Jackson and his little party had ridden but a few rods, reaching a point near an old dismantled house to the right of the pike, when he was fired on by our troops to the right of the pike, the balls passing diagonally across—one musket firing first, perhaps accidentally. Many of his escort and their horses were shot down by this fire. Jackson, Captain Wilbourn and the few who were not dismounted wheeled their horses to the left and galloped in the woods to get out of range, but were then fired on by the troops to the left of the road, when within thirty yards of the line, having been taken for a body of the enemy's cavalry. By this fire General Jackson was wounded. The troops near the road did not fire, because they knew Jackson had passed out. For the minute particulars of this sad calamity, I must refer you to Captain Wilbourn's account, quoted in an article by General Early in the December, 1878, number of the Southern Historical Papers, for now I adopt the words of General Lee, as in bed that night, resting on his elbow, he listened to Captain Wilbourn's report, he said: "Ah! Captain, don't let us say anything more about it; it is too painful to talk about." The enemy then opened a furious fire of shot, shell and canister, sweeping down the road and the woods upon each side. A. P. Hill and Colonel Crutchfield were disabled by this fire, and among others General Nicholls, of the Louisiana brigade, the present Governor of his State, had his left leg torn off by a shell. Rodes, next in rank, assumed command of the corps, but relinquished it to General Stuart, who had been sent for, because, in his own modest words, he was "satisfied the good of the service demanded it."
| "And shall Trelawney die! and shall Trelawney die! Then thirty thousand Cornish boys shall know the reason why." |
Stuart was near Ely's ford with the cavalry and the Sixteenth North Carolina infantry, having gone there after dark, to hold Averell still, who, having returned from his raid, was reported to be at that point. At 10.30 P. M., Captain Adams, of Hill's staff, summoned him to the command of Jackson's corps. Upon his arrival upon the battlefield, Jackson had been taken to the rear, but A. P. Hill, who was still there, turned over the command to him. With the assistance of Colonel E. P. Alexander, of the ar-
