Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 04.djvu/269

Rh Colonel Taylor has either wholly misapprehended General Johnson, or the latter was laboring under some very great mistake, when they had the conversation after the war on the subject. Johnson did not get into line of battle on my left until after dark; and if he had been in line of battle before that time, it was when he was halted near the College before moving to the left. It surely could not have been the intention for him to march from that point over Rodes and myself to attack the enemy on Cemetery Hill. If he had then, or after dark, been ordered to advance upon either hill for the purpose of attacking, Rodes and myself would have been informed of the fact, in order that we might cooperate; and I am very sure I received no such information.

But let us see what General Lee and General Ewell say on the subject of the instructions for capturing the enemy's position that afternoon.

In his report General Lee says:

It is now known that that force was the Twelfth corps.

Here is General Ewell's explanation of the whole matter as given in his report: