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call upon the
Adjutant General and the two confidential officers of
General Lee's staff for their testimony in the case, and I do not think that you will have any reason to fear their evidence.
They knew every order that was issued for that battle, when and where attacks were to be made, who were slow in attacking, and who did not make attacks that were expected to be made.
I hope, for the sake of history and for your brave military record, that a quietus will at once be put on this subject.
I distinctly remember the appearance in our headquarter camp of the scout who brought from
Frederick the first account that
General Lee had of the definite whereabouts of the enemy; of the excitement at
General Lee's headquarters among couriers, quartermasters, commissaries, etc., all betokening some early movement of the commands dependent upon the news brought by the scout.
That afternoon
General Lee was walking with some of us in the road in front of his headquarters, and said: “To-morrow, gentlemen, we will not move to
Harrisburg as we expected, but will go over to
Gettysburg and see what
General Meade is after.”
Orders had then been issued to the corps to move at sunrise on the morning of the next day, and promptly at that time the corps was put on the road.
The troops moved slowly a short distance, when they were stopped by
Ewell's wagon trains and
Johnson's Division turning into the road in front of them, making their way from some point north to
Cashtown or
Gettysburg.
How many hours we were detained I am unable to say, but it must have been many, for I remember eating a lunch or dinner before moving again.
Being anxious to see you I rode rapidly by the troops (who, as soon as they could get into the road, pushed hurriedly by us, also), and overtook you about dark at the hill this side of
Gettysburg, about half a mile from the town.
You had been at the front with
General Lee, and were returning to your camp, a mile or two back.
I spoke very exultingly of the victory we were thought to have obtained that day, but was surprised to find that you did not take the same cheerful view of it that I did; and presently you remarked, that it would have been better had we not fought than to have left undone what we did. You said that the enemy were left occupying a position that it would take the whole army to drive them from, and then at a great sacrifice.
We soon reached the camp, three miles, perhaps, from
Gettysburg, and found the column near by. Orders were issued to be ready to march at “daybreak,” or some earlier hour, next morning.
About three o'clock in the morning, while the stars were shining, you left your headquarters and rode to
General Lee's, where I found you sitting with him
after sunrise looking at the enemy on
Cemetery Hill.
I rode then into
Gettysburg, and was gone some two hours, and when I returned found you still with
General Lee.
At two or three o'clock in the day I rode with you toward the right, when you were about to attack, and was with you in front of the peach orchard when
Hood began to move toward
Round Top.
General Hood was soon wounded, and I removed him from the field to a house near by. ... I am yours, very truly,
