[
71]
the engagement, I have endeavored, with the help of the official reports, to furnish a simple narrative of its leading and most striking features, giving at the same time an account of it as viewed from the standpoint of one of several thousand soldiers who took part in this exceptionally tragic action with muskets in their hands, without attempting to account or to fix upon any officer or officers in command or troops engaged the responsibility for the failure of the Confederate forces to accomplish more after such frightful loss of life.
If what I have written has interested the reader and has given him a clearer conception of this closing scene of the seven days battles around
Richmond, the sketch will have served its purpose.
The truth of history.
Defence of Fort Gregg—The
battle of Jericho Ford—Troops surrendered at Appomattox Courthouse—Last official reports made to
General Lee after the surrender, etc.
In the account of the Unveiling of the Soldiers' Monument in Blandford Cemetery,
Petersburg, Va., from the correspondent of the
Richmond (Va.) Dispatch, and published in its issue of June 8, 1890, and republished in the
Southern Historical Society Papers, Vol.
XVII, pp. 388-403, occurs the following misstatement: ‘Fort Gregg,
whose defence by the small band of gallant Mississippians was one of the bravest, most glorious, and most stubborn in the annals of the war.’
This inadvertant publication has elicited from
General James H. Lane several material communications, explaining not only how the oft-repeated error as to the real defenders of Fort Gregg first gained currency, but correcting other erroneous statements heretofore made.
He also makes a valuable suggestion.
Under date of September 5, 1890, he writes:
General Lee, at Appomattox Courthouse, ordered
official reports from all of his general officers.
I made ,nine [published, with the letters of
Lieutenants Snow,
Craige,
Howard and
Rigler, in the
Southern Historical Society Papers, Vol.
III, pp. 19-28, January,
