the Eighth, and Colonel Kennedy, of the Second, in the order named, Barksdale moving in action before our last regiment came fairly in line.  Sumner, of the Federal Army, was pushing his forces of the Second Army Corps forward at this point of the line in columns of brigades, having crossed the Antietam at the fords above.  Sedgwick, of his leading division, had already formed in line of battle awaiting our assault.  One of the Georgia Brigades of the division formed on Kershaw’s left, while the other acted as reserve, and a general advance was ordered against the troops in the woods.  The battle was in full blast now along the greater part of the line.  General Longstreet, speaking of the time Kershaw came in action, says:  “The fire spread along both lines from left to right, across the Antietam, and back again, and the thunder of the big guns became continuous and increased to a mighty volume.  To this was presently added the sharper rattle of musketry, and the surge of mingling sound sweeping up and down the field was multiplied and confused by the reverberations from the rocks and hills.  And in the great tumult of sound, which shook the air and seemed to shatter the cliffs and ledges above the Antietam, bodies of the facing foes were pushed forward to closer work, and soon added the clash of steel to the thunderous crash of cannon shot.  Under this storm, now Kershaw advanced his men.  Through the open, on through the woods, with a solid step these brave men went, while the battery on their left swept their ranks with grape and canister.”  In the woods the brigade was moved to the left to evade this storm of shot and shell.  The Mississippians on the left were now reforming their broken ranks.  Colonel Aiken, of the Seventh, had fallen badly wounded in the first charge, and the command was given to Captain White.  This was the first battle in a fair field in which the new commanders of the regiments had had an opportunity to show their mettle and ability, and well did they sustain themselves.  Savage Station and Maryland Heights were so crowded with underbrush and vision so obscured that they were almost battles in the dark.  Colonel Kennedy, of the Second, and Lieutenant Colonel Hoole, of the Eighth, were handling their men in splendid style, the Seventh changing its commander three times while in battle.  Colonel Nance changed his front in the lull of battle, and moved under the friendly cover of a hill, on which was posted the battery that had been graping the field so desperately during the first advance.  The brigade had now passed through the field of waving corn, over the rail fence, and driven Sedgwick from his position.  Barksdale, who had been staggered by the first impact, was now moving up in beautiful harmony; the steady, elastic step of his men, the waving banners, the officers marching in the rear, their bright blades glittering in the sunlight, made a most imposing spectacle.  Up the slope, among the straggling oaks, they bent