Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 07.djvu/543

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, September 15th, 1879.

, Late Adjutant-General Artillery, Second Corps, A. N. V.:

My Dear Sir—My attention was first called during the month of January last to General Ewell's report of the battle of Spotsylvania, May 12th, 1864. In consequence of an error therein contained, regarding myself, I have thought it my duty to write out a full statement of the whole affair, so far as regards my connection with it, and respectfully submit it to your consideration. The guns of my battalion had been withdrawn from the works, in accordance with orders, as you remember, on the previous evening, to a point about one and a half miles in rear of the salient, and near the Courthouse, where most of the artillery of the Second corps went into camp for the night, preparatory to marching next morning.

The enemy was reported to be moving from our front and towards our right. Horses, therefore, were not only unhitched but unharnessed; what few tents we had were pitched on account of the rain, and the whole camp reposed in a state of most profound security. About twenty minutes of four o'clock next morning, May 12th, I was awakened by Lieutenant S. H. Pendleton, of General Long's staff, who informed me that the enemy were reported to have returned as if for the purpose of attacking the salient, and that I was ordered to proceed at once to occupy that part of the line. The men were aroused, the horses were harnessed and hitched, and my battalion left camp in so short a time after the order was received, that it was not only generally noticed, but General Long, in his report, says that I moved my battalion with "great rapidity." Having consulted with Colonel Thomas H. Carter, my immediate superior officer, during the time of harnessing, &c., it was fully understood that Carter's battery, two rifles and two light twelves, should take the lead and occupy the salient itself—to be followed in order by Montgomery, four light twelves, who was to take position just to the left of Carter; Fry, two rifles under