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The February number of these
Papers (page 94) contains a communication from
Colonel J. R. Winston, calling in question the accuracy of certain statements made by me in my narrative of
Steuart's brigade at
Gettysburg.
Allow me first to assure my critic that I have been unfortunate in conveying my meaning if anything I have written seems to imply a slur either on
General Daniel or his brave men. My meaning was that for
such a charge to be made by a single brigade, unsupported, was proof that “somebody blundered” --not
General Daniel, because “it is to be presumed that he acted in obedience to orders.”
I simply stated the fact that a charge which, to some of
Steuarts' regiments, was as fatal as
Balaklava was to the Light brigade, was made by that brigade without support, though help was at hand in
General Daniel's gallant brigade, which moved up and took our position when we left the
Federal works to make the charge.
So much for my
animus. Now, as to the facts.
Colonel Winston questions the statement that
Daniel's command “remained in the breastworks during and after the charge,” and gave no support to
Steuart, and says: “I know that
Daniel's brigade went into the fight on
General Steuart's line.
As we went in I passed
General Steuart, and as I came out (badly wounded) I again passed him.”
This in no way disproves my assertion that “
during the charge”
Daniel held the
Federal line of works which
Steuart vacated in order to make the charge.
The incident referred to by
Colonel Winston must have occurred at some other time.
I was not wounded (though struck four times), assisted in forming the line for the assault, was in the charge, and know whereof I affirm.
It was the last charge made, and it is certain
Colonel Winston did not pass
General Steuart during that charge. I can assure him there was no time for exchanging salutations then and there, within twenty-five yards of two flame-breathing breastworks.
In support of my assertion I respectfully refer to the surviving officers and men of the First and Third North Carolina regiments, which constituted part of
Steuart's brigade.
They will substantiate the only point at issue, viz: that
Steuart's men made
that charge without aid from any quarter.
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316]
The accuracy of my estimate of the loss in
Steuart's brigade is also called in question.
I stated the loss at 680, killed, wounded and missing; my critic, relying on the consolidated reports, says it was 301.
Now, through the kindness of a friend, I have obtained from the
Confederate archives at
Washington a copy of the tabulated report of
Major R. W. Hunter,
Assistant Adjutant-General to
Major-General Edward Johnson.
This document gives the following table of casualties:
| | killed. | wounded. | missing. | aggregate. |
| Johnson's staff | | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Stonewall brigade | 35 | 208 | 87 | 330 |
| Jones' brigade | 58 | 302 | 61 | 421 |
| Steuart's brigade | 83 | 409 | 190 | 682 |
| Nichol's brigade | 43 | 309 | 36 | 388 |
| Total | 219 | 1,229 | 375 | 1,823 |
It appears, then, that my estimate of loss (680) was less than the loss as stated officially by
General Johnson's
Assistant Adjutant-General, viz: 682.
The losses in
Daniel's brigade were heavier, but were incurred chiefly in the first day's battle, as may be seen from
General Rodes' report (September number, 1876,
Historical Society Papers, page 149, compared with ditto, page 172).
Rodes' division lost 2,869 in the entire three days battle, of which number 2,500 were lost on the first day.
