Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 12.
Reverend J. William Jones, Ed.

Dear Sir,—I see that in your papers of January and February, 1884, on the ‘Organization of the Army of Northern Virginia,’ you ‘earnestly request corrections if errors are found.’

Colonel H. Clay Pate reported as Colonel of the Fifth Virginia Cavalry on 31st August, 1864; was killed in battle at the Yellow Tavern the same day our beloved Stuart was shot—to-wit., May 11th, 1864—and in a few days thereafter Colonel R. B. Boston, then Captain, was made Colonel, and so continued until killed in action at High Bridge on April 6th, 1865. I had the honor to belong to that gallant regiment, and know this to be true. I can never think of that soul of honor, Colonel Boston, without having my heart strangely stirred. Many of his men soon after, I candidly believe, almost envied his fate.

Very truly yours,

My Dear Sir,—I was severely wounded in the second battle at Cold Harbor, but returned to my command about the last of August, to find a great many of my officers absent, on account of the numerous engagements and hard fighting in that campaign. The compilation of the ‘War Records Office,’ is doubtless true, but it does not give the names of the real regimental commanders in my brigade at that time. They were as follows:

Seventh North Carolina, Colonel William Lee Davidson. Do not know why he was absent.

Eighteenth North Carolina, Colonel John D. Barry, who was absent, wounded in one of the numerous engagements on the north side of the James.

Twenty-eighth North Carolina, Colonel William H. A. Speer, who was absent, mortally wounded at Reams's Station August 25th.

Thirty-third North Carolina, Colonel R. V. Coward. I do not remember why he was absent. I know that he was with me in the battle of Jones's Farm, September 30th, and behaved with conspicuous gallantry on my right flank.