By Robert Hope, from the field of Fredericksburg, Virginia. 16th December 1862 (the day after the battle)
As I sit here outside my tent, just outside the town of Fredericksburg, Virginia, I am watching some proud boys from the Hazzard Brigade of Mississippi, march past their leader, Brigadier General Roscoe P. Coltrane. He is sitting nobly on his white horse, known to all his men as Ghost, and he is smiling.
He returns the salutes and cheers as his men march by, their uniforms and battle flags somewhat tattered from these last four days of action. My, how proud they are, these Mississippians, they give credit to the whole Confederate army.
With their stalwart defence, along with their comrades in arms from throughout the Confederacy, the pompous Yankees were taught a lesson they will never forget. Their commander, a General Burnside, must be kicking his heels in anger at the way his attack was botched from the very start.
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| 2nd Mi Inf. In their new slouch hats with their national flag whilst battle honours added to their Battleflag |
So fierce was the Mississippians defence that General Robert E Lee himself was heard to say to an aide, "Look at Coltrane and his men, standing against the blue waves like a rock". Word of this got back to Hazzard Brigade, who promptly gave their commander a nick name, that of "Rocky" .
So, dear readers of the Banner, cheer our brave boys, especially those of General Roscoe "Rocky" Coltrane "
End of report
By the by, the 2nd Mississippi are now taken to be wearing black slouch hats, taken from the defeated blue bellies, in preference to their grey kepis.
