vouacked for the night."

The gallant conduct of Toombs' brigade at Sharpsburg was the theme on
both sides. The country rang with its exploits and the fiery Georgia
brigadier became the toast of the army. Burnside's heavy losses
abundantly proved the stoutness of the resistance and the deadliness of
the charges of the Georgia troops.

The next evening, on the edge of Sharpsburg, General Toombs and his aids
crossed a little branch on his way to the headquarters of Colonel
Benning. General Toombs rode his famous mare "Gray Alice," so well known
to his command. He was not very far over when a troop of cavalry rode
up. He challenged them, and they answered "We are friends." Captain
Troup of his staff, however, detected the ruse and fired into them. The
squad returned the fire. General Toombs was shot through the hand with
which he was holding the reins. The gray mare at once became
unmanageable and ran back across the branch. As soon as he could control
the mare, General Toombs rode back to Colonel Benning and, reporting his
wound, turned his brigade over to Colonel Benning. When it became known
that General Toombs was wounded his men were deeply pained. Always
solicitous for their welfare, his soldiers were devotedly attached to
him. He took care of his brigade even to the extremity of violating army
discipline. He exacted the utmost consideration for his men, and the
officer who periled their safety, or disputed their efficiency, was
quickly called to account. Whether against Johnston, Longstreet, or
Hill, the First Brigade, First Division, was sure of a fearless champion
in the person of its commander.

The battle of Sharpsburg was a very bloody one. The losses on the
Federal side were nearly 12,500, while the Confederates lost 8000. Lee
withdrew into Virginia, and McClellan was too much demoralized to
follow. Longstreet, in summing up the Manassas and Maryland campaign,
declared that in one month the troops had marched over two hundred miles
upon little more than half rations and fought nine battles and
skirmishes. They had "killed, wounded, and captured nearly as many men
as we had in our ranks, besides taking arms and other munitions of war
in large quantities." General Longstreet compliments Brigadier General
Toombs for his "gallant defense at the bridge of Antietam and his
vigorous charge upon the enemy's flank; he was severely wounded at the
close of the engagement."

General Toombs returned to his home after S