“
[75]
distance of us, and as I could see no indications of an intention on the part of Colonel Weisiger to comply with my request, I ordered my command to fall back, which was necessarily done in some confusion, as the line had been broken capturing prisoners, and the woods through which they withdrew rendered it almost impossible to preserve anything like a line of battle.”
The request to Colonel Weisiger mentioned, was to move out of the woods and unite in the attack on the enemy, but Colonel Weisiger remained in the woods, and the brigade was not seriously engaged.
During all this time you were not with your brigade, and if you had been, it was very singular conduct for you to leave it at so critical a juncture as you represent, to ride back to the lines for support.
Had you gone to your brigade instead, and led it with that daring peculiar to Jackson, at least, the results might have been much greater.
As it was, after Lane started, and while he was attacking the flank and rear of the enemy, the head of Burnside's column got to within a very short distance of the salient, and all our energies had to be directed to its repulse, a large number of guns were turned upon it, and by an obstinate resistance and heavy fire from Walker's brigade and Thomas's, which latter was on the left of the salient, the enemy was repulsed with heavy slaughter.
General Lee and myself were on Heth's line watching the attack and directing the effort to repel it. * * *
Southern Historical Society Papers, Vol.
IX, pp. 241-246, gives my official report of the
battle of Jericho Ford, and other interesting matter.
As to the statement that
Field and
Mahone surrendered more than half of
General Lee's strength at Appomattox Courthouse, I have hastily made the following condensation from the paroles, Vol.
XV,
Southern Historical Society Papers, which I think is correct:
