Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 9.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[366]

“ Here for about two hours the fire and fury of battle raged with great obstinacy,” &c.

I will be glad to have the alteration made in the report or any copy of it you have sent forward to General Lee. I am, General, very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

General: I am very sorry that the language in my report is not sufficiently explicit to be understood. I could not have meant that I was to attack upon the right, centre, and left, when it was stated, that, supported by General Mahone, I was to attack upon the right. A simultaneous move was to be made upon the centre and left. If I am not greatly mistaken, General Anderson's brigade, supported by another, whom I do not recollect, was to attack upon the centre, and General Ransom's brigade, supported, I think, by General Armistead's brigade, was to attack upon the left. This was the disposition of your forces for the attack, that I heard dictated by yourself, and reduced to writing and made out by one of your staff. I was called upon to report my own and the action of my brigade, and did not think it appropriate, on paper, that I should make a report of any other movement except such as were necessarily connected with my own. I am very glad to find that our loss on that day was less than it was thought to be. I know that the enemy's loss was very severe. All night long he had large parties with lanterns picking up his wounded and dead. These came within even a few paces of my position, and I could ascertain by the lights they bore, and their conversation, that they were engaged in removing their killed and wounded.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

Since writing the above, I perceive that my report says I was ordered to attack the enemy's right. This is a mistake of my clerk, who copied my report. The original draught reads, “I was ordered to advance and attack the enemy on our right,” &c. This is a serious error in the copy you have, and may be also in the one that General Huger has. I will take steps to have it corrected.

dear sir: General Huger is present, and directs me to say, that neither he nor I know where the battery on the left is, and also that any order to officers or troops under his (General Huger's) command must pass through him.

Respectfully,

Batteries have been established to act upon the enemy's lines. If it is broken, as is probable, Armistead, who can witness the effect of the fire, has been ordered to charge with a yell. Do the same.

By order of General Lee.

General: I sent my aid and a guide some time ago to take you by the nearest route to New Market road, and, by going down that road, to join General Holmes in front of that. Please hurry as much as possible. General Holmes has been expecting you a long time, and is in much much need of you.

Very respectfully,

If you can't get your artillery, leave it, and send to me from New Market for such as you want. If you have not the guide, move the troops by General A. P. Hill, and take the right hand, getting into this.

I have joined General Longstreet at the intersection of the New Market, Charles City, and Quaker roads. I wish to know how far you have progressed en route to this point.

I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,

sir: My line is formed to the left and somewhat to the front of General Cobb. The enemy seem to be in large force in front of my right, and are or have moved a little to their right. I do not think it prudent for me to attack him with my