"The Very Vortex of Hell"

"The Very Vortex of Hell". Second Battle of Manassas. From their position atop this ridge, the soldiers of the 5th New York Infantry listened to the crash of battle. It appeared the regiment had escaped combat that day. Most of the fighting raged one mile to the north near Deep Cut. Around 4 p.m. an ominous silence took hold. Much of the distant firing had stopped. Suddenly a violent burst of musketry pierced the stillness. Terrified Union skirmishers came running out of the woods, followed by a tremendous crashing of brush and leaves - the sound of a large army approaching., The 5th New York hurried to form a battle line along the crest of this slope. By then, thousands of Confederates were at the edge of the trees firing volley after volley. The New Yorkers were overrun in less than ten minutes. The unit sustained 123 men killed or mortally wounded - the greatest loss of life in any Union infantry regiment in any single action of the war. Remembering the one-sided slaughter, a veteran compared it to "the very vortex of Hell.", The grassy slope behind you, covered with the colorful red and blue uniforms of fallen Zouaves, reminded one Southerner of a field of Texas wildflowers.