" .... they'd already been a pretty brisk fight
> > earlier ... the Tiger Rifles
> > givin a good accounting by killin some yankee's."
> >
>*(It is believed that the Author of this letter is
>referring to the Fight at the Stone Bridge. At about
>5:30 am, Tyler's Div. is sent forward to start a
>diversionary attack against Col. Evans Brigade
>consisting of Sloan's 4th South Carolina Reg. and
>Wheat's Battalion. After about two hours of fighting
>across Bull Run Creek, with no real Union assault,
>Col. Evans receives this message,"Look out to your
>Left, you are Turned!". Col. Evans leaves 4 Companies
>of the 4th S.C. to hold the bridge and moves the rest
>of his Brigade, about 1,000 men, West to Matthews
>House Hill, Just East of Sudley road. Unknown to Col.
>Evans he has placed his Brigade right in front of
>18,000 Union Troops, Gen. McDowell's surprise attack
>on the Confederate Left Flank.)
>"Theyd moved Co B down onto some pretty flat grassy
>ground."
>*(Wheat moves his Battalion in advance of the 4th S.C.
>Reg. by about 2 or 3 hundred yards,in a flat area
>between Matthews Hill and Buck Hill.)
>"They wasnt much to see cause of the smoke and dust,
>almost like being caught in a smoky glass jar.
>Occasionally the flash of a big gun could be seen
>through the murk. It was kinder like a nightmare and a
>damned lonely feelin - they was an ungodly sound made
>by both horse and men that was shot up. Peerin offn
>to the murk it wasnt hard to imagine the ghostlike
>figures of yankees movin about. Naurally this was jes
>jitters and they really wasnt anything about.
>*(It is unclear what "big gun" the Author is talking
>about. It could be one of the two guns of Evans
>Brigade or those of Col. Ambrose Burnsides Rhode
>Island Reg. at the head of the Union advance. It is
>known that July 21st, 1861 was very hot and humid, and
>the smoke from gun fire and the dust from troop
>movements hung thick in the air.)
>"T'werent long afore a passel of sojers come up near
>us. They was either North Carolina or Alabama Men.
>Not much mind was given to these fellars till theyd
>wheeled and fired a volley directly at Co B. They was
>a ways off and about the time we seen the flash of a
>volley they was clods flyin amongst the fellars and
>the zip and whir of punkin balls flyin. Needless to
>say nary a child, Private to Officer figured out what
>had happened. All was plumb corralled by our own
>fellars firin into Co B. Pvt M threw up his punkin
>chucker and said "thems some ignorant bastards ..."
>and fired in the general direction or thems that had
>fired on Co B. Tiger Rifle blood was runnin hot ..
>though no one had been snaked in the firin. They was a
>presence of mind to let fly on these fearsomely
>confused rascals. In the instant most of the Tiger
>Rifles was involved in an impromptu turkey shoot.
>Turned out with the smoke and what not our shootin was
>no bettern the other fellars and we didnt snake anyone
>either. This did raise the alarm amongst the Officers
>and they was much yellin for all of us to quit shootin
> .. not to mention a lot of yellin and cussin from
>thems that had started this whole affair. Sad I say
>but we was not inclined to jes up and quit 'gardless
>of the caterwaulin of the fellar what refered to
>hisself as Cap'n White or Lt D or any the others.
>Needless my mention but they was quite frittered and
>soon Major Rob come over and says they should move us
>in an advance so's we would quit shootin."
>*(It is well documented that the skirmishers of the
>4th S.C. mistook the blue jackets of Co.B 's Tiger
>Rifles for Union Troops and fired on them. It is also
>well known that the Tigers fired back! It is believed
>that it was this fire that caused Col. Burnside to
>send his Rhode Island men in right away, by Regiment,
>instead of waiting and sending them in mass attack.)
> "Another shot or 2 fired offn the smoke and we was
>movin forward with some grumblin and agitation. Along
>the way the ground sloped down a bit an a slight
>breeze had stirred we come out of the murk an could
>see a treeline down past some busted up ground. We
>was a couple rods from the tree's when it was noted
>that they was a fairly heavy movement of blue comin
>outtn the trees to our front. Major Rob rode along
>our front .. a splendid lookin man in a dark blue
>bottle frock an a straw hat agin his eyes glitterin
>an face mottled up red. He said "well here it is boys
>.. lets give em hell ". He made damn sure to look deep
>in our eyes. Co B was ordered to shuck extra gear an
>it was placed in a slight depression what run along
>our front."
>*(This is believed to be the depression between
>Matthews and Buck Hills.)
>"We was then ordered into a line of battle 2 ranks
>deep as the advance continued on towards the treeline.
>They was some commotion down amongst the yankees as
>they made us movin towards em. Twerent but a twinkle
>an it was plumb clear that the big guns had us made as
>well an with a coal box crash, the solids came sailin
>in on us. These kickin up geysers of dirt and
>skitterin deadly like along the field. Major Rob had
>us move up sharply, clear to us he was worried about
>the big gun off to our left rangin us and causin us to
>catch hell. The yankees had formed up a battleline and
>had some advanced on us."
>*(It is believed that these "yankees" and "big gun"
>are the 2 Rhode Island Regiments and their 6 Artillery
>pieces and some U.S. Regulars as skirmishers.)
>"They was a ragged sputter as a big gaggle of punkin
>balls sailed up an over the top of us. We was given
>an order to volley back on em and this was with some
>success. Though they was some obscured in smoke - seen
>a couple fall an heard some screamin from those that
>was snaked. Again Co B moved up sharply an again they
>was an exchange of fire. This time we had two fellars
>down with wounds. The order was to go head an press
>into em as they was now less'n a rod distant. With a
>tiger growl and roar we pressed forward. They was no
>more sound than the hollow thud of feet and swish of
>grass as we pressed up on em. They was purt much as
>silent as we was ...though I heard a new englander
>officer remind them to "be steady". They was a
>Private sojer ... fact twas the fellar that had got
>gotten frittered over the comments on his busthead
>back to the train. He had outstripped the officers
>an was closed up swingin his punkin chucker like a
>club when they was a sputter of fire an he was struck
>by so many balls that his body wouldnt drop an we
>watched him come apart from thems that was shootin
>him. Never will forget his look devilish pointy beard
>jutted out - punkin chucker swingin to bust some heads
>an then the jerk of him as the punkin balls hit him.
>Though it had been a fool move to make it had given a
>twinkle for us to really tie into em. I recall swingin
>my musket around an catchin a brawny fellow a blow to
>the face. They was a scrunch of bone givin way, a
>shower of blood an we was in amongst em. This was a
>root hog or die set to an these yankees wasnt no
>pikers. They was to intent on usin they pig stickers
>of which we had none."
>*(This backs up the reports that the Tiger Rifles were
>issued Mdl 1841 "Mississippi" Rifles without bayonets,
>were the Union forces had Muskets with bayonets.)
>"We was able to skitter around em like waterbugs and
>give a good poundin with the butts of our pieces, they
>was the flash of corn knifes an fellars later
>palavered at bustin heads and jaws with knuckle
>dusters and saps."
>*(This backs up the reports that the Tiger Rifles
>carryed long knifes in lieu of Bayonets.)
>"Most Loosianer fellars was rough an tumble and this
>type of squampsish was to our liken. The grass got
>slick with blood an I recall fallin in the trailins of
>some poor yankee Lieutenant that had no doubt come up
>against a corn knife. Though this hot set to seemed to
>drag on it twernt long an these yankees was done with
>the business and skeedaddled off towards that mean
>spirited big gun that had been firin on us. They was
>some tried to duck back into the woods and several of
>the fellars gave chase ... they blood was up."
>*(It is here that the Author refers to the Rhode
>Island troops breaking and running back into the
>woods. Col. Burnsides Brigade reforms and there are
>two more charges, this time supported by 8 Companies
>of U.S. Regulars under Mjr. Sykes and 6 more artillery
>pieces. With each counter-charge Evan's Brigade breaks
>the line and sends them back into the trees. Col.
>Burnside believes he is facing six times more men than
>he really is and calls for more reinforcements.)
>"It was here I gits good r'collection again. They was
>lots of hootin and hollerin, somes was pokin around
>amongst the yankees lookin for gee-gaws, they was
>others helpin comrades that was struck, it was here
>that we come to find that Major Rob had been struck an
>was down. Walkin back through the smoke some of the
>fellars had improvised a litter an was tryin to git
>him off the field. Word was he had took a ball in the
>chest and they was lots of blood an gore liken to
>cherry preserves."
>*(Mjr. Wheat had been shot through the lungs.It is
>believed this happened during the 1st or 2nd charge.)
>"He was spirited offn the field with many breakin an
>givin chase."
>*(It was reported that after Mjr. Wheat fell,the whole
>Battalion came apart. Company B. seemed to split into
>three groups: some gathered around Mjr. Wheat to
>prevent him being struck by another musket ball and to
>carry him from the field; some went off to chase down
>fleeing "yankees"; and a 3rd group fell back with the
>rest of Evans Brigade back over Matthews Hill, across
>Youngs Branch, and back up Henry House Hill for the
>final assault.)
>"Major Rob was a fine man an we loved him dear. Capn
>White and the others was tight assed as ever an
>demanded we reform an git off the field as they was
>big guns startin in again an thot we was to git
>another rush of yankees. By then they was much more
>yellin an shootin up the d'rection the yankees had
>skeedaddled to. Some of the fellars wanted to runoff
>that way and finish em up .. others was wantin to
>follow after Major Rob who we figured had his hash an
>accounts settled."
>*(It was reported that when Mjr. Wheat was told his
>wound was fatal, he said,"I don't feel like dying
>yet!")
>"The order finally come for us to trail after the
>recent departed yankees an it was long afore we come
>over a rise into the flank and quarter front of some
>more yankees. We was some put off over Major Rob an we
>punished this bunch though they wasnt near as sportin
>as the first bunch an soon nuff they skeedaddled
>leavin a mess of their brethen down with only one loss
>Tiger lost. This type of squabblin went on for a time
>though they was probably 3 different tribes of yankees
>we danced with it all seemed like on big set to. Proud
>to say though when it was said an done I had a nicked
>ear and a cut along the chin. Brother E had a piece of
>his hat brim shot away saing it went up in a blow of
>straw chattel. Seemed we had been fightin an chasin
>yankees all day and toward dinner we heard they was al
>skeedaddlin."
>*(It is reported that by days end the Tiger Rifles had
>played a major role in holding the Union right flank
>back so that more Confederate Troops could be brought
>up, had a hand in routeing the famous 11th N.Y. "Fire
>Zouaves", and captured 2 cannons from Sherman's
>Artillery.)
>"Wore out we made our way back .. as always they was
>some busthead and many thirstily drank it down with a
>shakin hand. We all was gutshot at the though an
>waggle that Major Rob wasnt spected to live the night
>.......