Sketch of Hoods Texas Brigade of the Virginia Army (Handwritten Civil War Diary)

more of battle on our left. About 5PM a courier arrived from Genl Longstreet for Hood to push the Div in and engage the enemy in our front. The order was instantly given and the whole line moved down on both sides of the Turnpike into the open fields - just in our front. Parson Davis thus speaks of our advance on the 9th, "Their step is steady and glistening steel flashes along the whole line. The artillery has been placed upon the hills and as the infantry moved down the artillery filled the heavens with shot and shell. Finally the "make ready" is heard and instantly a shot of fire flashes along the whole line." We charge their

and moved them each time that They made an effort to stand my Company (A) was that day on the skirmish line. They charged the enemy and by dark had them driven two miles. Nor did night end the contest for three hours after dark the whole plains of Manassas was one sea of light - bombs screaming warning and bursting in the air. "Minnies" whizing all about. such I never saw - it was a thing that man can see once in a life time, be his years long or few. Parson Davis then speaks "It was so dark that one flag could not be distinguished from another, nor the Yankees

troops from Southern soldiers and our men had to resort to the bayonet and butes of the guns to drive them back from the ground, and owning to some little confusion among our own Regts. they had to call out their names and numbers to keep from being fired into by one another. The enemy heard it and took advantage of this information One of their brigades by our movement in the dark and been cut off. but as they came up they sung out "5th Texas, don't shoot." and consequently escaped us at the same time to deceive us. They darked a squadron of Cavalry upon us. or else the trick

troops from Southern Soldiers and our men had to resort to the bayonets and butts of their guns to drive them back from the ground and owing to some little confusion among our own Regts they had to call out their names + numbers to keep from being fired into by one another The enemy heard it and took advantage of the information gained One of their brigades by our movement in the dark had been cut off but as they came up they sung out "5th Texas dont shoot" and consequently escaped us At the same time to divert us they darked a squadron of Cavalry upon us or else the trick