Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 6.
Reverend J. William Jones, Ed.

“ [114] McLaws forward, because, as the head of the column, he had direct orders from General Lee to follow the conduct of Colonel Johnson. Therefore, I sent orders to Hood, who was in the rear and not encumbered by these instructions, to push his division forward by the most direct route, and take position on my right.” Why did he wait so long before taking this “responsibility,” as he terms it? Had he been at the head of his column he would have seen the folly of further efforts at concealment hours before. “He (Hood) did so, and thus broke up the delay. The troops were rapidly thrown into position and preparations made for the attack.” General Longstreet seeks to throw the responsibility of this delay in getting his troops into position on General Lee, because he had ordered McLaws' division to follow Colonel Johnson; in other words, that General Lee had taken command of one of his divisions through a staff officer: and yet, if he really believed this, he violated instructions by ordering Hood forward, as McLaws was to lead off. This Lieutenant-General, and second in rank to General Lee, makes a wretched display of a want of cheerful, prompt and intelligent co-operation with his chief at a time when he most needed and had a right to expect every officer and soldier in his army to aid him, and, most of all, he who was next to him in rank.

After General Longstreet had broken the delay in his march to get into position on the enemy's left, and had ordered forward Hood's division, let us note what suggestions were made to him by this officer and how they were received. General Hood had sent forward a number of his best scouts and ascertained that Round Top could be turned, the enemy attacked in rear and flank, and sent this information to General Longstreet, requesting permission to act upon it. He (Longstreet) did not gallop to the front to see Hood, make inquiries and satisfy himself of the practicability of carrying out his suggestion, but returned a peremptory answer--“General Lee's orders are to attack up the Emmettsburg road.” General Hood sent a second request to let him turn Round Top, and again he answered--“General Lee orders us to attack up the Emmettsburg road.” A third time did General Hood repeat the request, but only to elicit the same reply, and the last response was soon followed by one of Longstreet's staff, who repeated the same order. General Lee says in his report, as we have seen, that General Longstreet was ordered to attack the enemy's extreme left, partially enveloping it and drive it in. Had Hood been permitted to