Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 02.djvu/176

166 caused much confusion and disorder, rendering it necessary for me to place guards across the road to stop stragglers.

Shortly after this occurrence I was informed that Lieutenant-General Jackson was wounded, and also received a message from Major-General Hill stating that he likewise was disabled, and that the command of the corps devolved on me. Without loss of time, I communicated with Brigadier-Generals Heth and Colston, commanding respectively the divisions of A. P. Hill and Trimble, and made the necessary arrangements for a renewal of the attack in the morning, it being agreed that the troops were not in condition to resume operations that night. Just at this time (about twelve o'clock) the enemy made an attack on our right, but being feeble in its character, and promptly met, it lasted but a short time. Very soon after, Major-General J. E. B. Stuart, who had been sent for by Major Pendleton, A. A. G. of Lieutenant-General Jackson, arrived on the ground and assumed command. I deem it proper to state that I yielded the command to General Stuart, not because I thought him entitled to it—belonging, as he does, to a different arm of the service—nor because I was unwilling to assume the responsibility of carrying on the attack, as I had already made the necessary arrangements, and they remained unchanged, but because, from the manner in which I had been informed that he had been sent for, I inferred that General Jackson or General Hill had instructed Major Pendleton to place him in command, and for the still stronger reason that I feared that the information that the command had devolved on me, unknown, except to my own immediate troops, would in their shaken condition be likely to increase the demoralization of the corps. General Stuart's name was well and very favorable known to the army, and would tend, I hoped, to re-establish confidence. I yielded because I was satisfied the good of the service demanded it.

On the morning of May 3d, being the rear division, I established my line with Rodes' and Iverson's brigades on left of plank road, as before. Ramseur's brigade on the right, then Doles, and finally Colquitt on the extreme right. The attack was renewed about 6 o'clock A. M., and soon after I received orders to move forward, which I promptly obeyed, first giving directions to each brigade commander to push forward until the enemy was encountered, and engage him vigorously, running over friend and foe alike, if in the way.

At the moment of starting, our cavalry reported a strong