From an article on the 4th Alabama at 1st Manassas in the Alabama Historical Quarterly, "As fighting continued, the Fourth lost contact with Bartow. In order to follow the course of battle, the regiment pulled out of the thicket and moved out into the open. The men rested and sent out water details when General Bee rode up looking for any of his brigade still in formation. Captains Porter King and Richard Clarke ... answered that he had found what remained of the Fourth Alabama. Bee said, 'Come with me and go yonder where Jackson stands like a stone wall.'"

There are several variations of this famous comment. R. T. Coles wrote a history of the 4th AL several decades after the fact, published as From Huntsville to Appomattox, edited by Jeffrey D. Stocker. He wrote this (on page 21): "General Bee, very much depressed at the unfortunate turn of affairs, then proceeded to collect his scattered forces. Riding up to the 4th Alabama, he inquired, 'What regiment is this?' Captain Richard Clarke, or Captain Porter King, quickly replied: 'Why General, don't you know your own men -- this is what is left of the 4th Alabama.' After stating that this was the only part of his command he had been fortunate enough to find, he then said: 'Come with me and go yonder where Jackson statnds like a stonewall.'"

In a footnote, Stocker adds a statement by William M. Robbins (p.236-7): "It was just at this moment our Brigadier-General Bee came galloping to the Fourth Alabama and said: 'My brigade is scattered over the field, and you are all of it now at hand. Men, can you make a charge of bayonets?' ... Bee then said, pointing towards where Jackson and his men were so valiantly battling about a quarter of a mile to the west and left of us, 'Yonder stands Jackson like a stone wall. Let us go to his assistance.'"

An entirely different recollection was recorded closer to that time by Capt. Thomas A. Goldsby in writing an official report of the battle: "[Bee] being told that 'it was what remained of the 4th Alabama,' replied with an expressive gesture, 'this is all of my brigade that I can find -- will you follow me back to where the firing is going on?' We said, 'to the death.'"