But everything was so systematized, that we did not
feel the fatigue.
PINE MOUNTAIN--DEATH OF GENERAL LEONIDAS POLK
General Leonidas Polk, our old leader, whom we had followed all through
that long war, had gone forward with some of his staff to the top of Pine
Mountain, to reconnoiter, as far as was practicable, the position of the
enemy in our front. While looking at them with his field glass, a solid
shot from the Federal guns struck him on his left breast, passing through
his body and through his heart. I saw him while the infirmary corps
were bringing him off the field. He was as white as a piece of marble,
and a most remarkable thing about him was, that not a drop of blood was
ever seen to come out of the place through which the cannon ball had
passed. My pen and ability is inadequate to the task of doing his memory
justice. Every private soldier loved him. Second to Stonewall Jackson,
his loss was the greatest the South ever sustained. When I saw him there
dead, I felt that I had lost a friend whom I had ever loved and respected,
and that the South had lost one of her best and greatest generals.
His soldiers always loved and honored him. They called him "Bishop Polk."
"Bishop Polk" was ever a favorite with the army, and when any position
was to be held, and it was known that "Bishop Polk" was there, we knew
and felt that "all was well.
Pages:
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218