Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 10.
Reverend J. William Jones, Ed.

[428] He was the officer to whom the message was delivered, and is the best witness in the case.

I have no doubt that he will answer your inquiry fully. I am,

Yours very truly,

Wingfield S. Hancock.

On July the 20th, General Hancock sent us the following:

Letter from General Bingham.

house of representatives, Washington, D. C., July 19th, 1882.
My Dear General:

Your favor of July 14th, covering enclosures from Southern Historical Society, duly received and contents noted.

Of course, I cannot now recall all the details in the matter of General Armistead's condition and words at the time of his capture, July 3, 1863; but my report, made to you immediately following the battle, is correct in every particular. Armistead, after I informed him that I was an officer upon your staff, and would deliver any personal effects that he might desire forwarded to his family, made use of the words, as I now recall them, “Say to General Hancock for me, that I have done him, and you all, a grievous (or serious) injury, which I shall always regret.”

His condition at the time, was that of a man seriously wounded, completely exhausted, and seemingly broken-spirited. I had him carried immediately to the hospital. The physician in charge, or who attended his wounds, could more specifically give testimony as to his mental condition.

I return to you the letter of J. Wm. Jones, Secretary of the Southern Historical Society.

Very truly yours,

Henry H. Bingham. Major-General W. S. Hancock, New York City, N. Y.

It will be seen from the above, (which we doubt not is an entirely accurate statement of General Bingham's recollection of what occurred, except that he does not enter into the details of his kindness to General Armistead, which we will ever cherish in grateful remembrance,) that the message actually sent by the dying hero, was a very different one from that which General Doubleday gives. Mortally wounded, “completely ”