Jim Martin
I got it!
Wed Apr 11 15:10:51 2001


Here's the "source" of the story of the May 5th, 1864 counterattack of the 5th Alabama Battalion at the battle of the Wilderness.

"Still later there was an alarm from the extreme left, the enemy pushing into the interval between Ewell and ourselves. There was nothing out of the line except the Fifth Alabama Battalion (125 strong) under Major Vandegraff, who had charge of the prisoners. They went in with a cheer, and whatever was before them was driven back, and night settled down on the dreadful field - our lines all held."

This is from a letter by a William H. Palmer and is included in the book: "Some Reminiscences"; By William Lawrence Royall; New York and Washington;The Neale Publishing Company; 1909

Here is the website for this online book (scroll down to page 30)

http://docsouth.unc.edu/royall/royall.html

Jim