Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 09.djvu/65

56 by the mounted courier who brought the general order for the march in advance, dated April 3d, and received at 2.30 o'clock, April 3d, A. M. The courier returned promptly with an answer, as follows:

"General,—"You will take all the troops of your division from here. Colonel Gibson, commander of First brigade, at Monterey, will be along, and some change may be made after a day or two. "G. G. G." "Bains's battery will not go. "(Signed),, "Assistant Adjutant General."

We note that Colonel Johnston, in the final clause of the second paragraph, p. 564, specified: "It is certain that one of Ruggles's brigade commanders, who was on outpost duty at Monterey, received no orders at all, and was left to surmise the meaning of the movement, as regiment after regiment filed by."

In my former notice of this gratuitous remark, I asked if it was designed as further evidence that "Ruggles was finally blamed," justly? The added, "This detached brigade" (Gibson's) "was not then under my orders—not until it rejoined my division. This is a rigid military rule. My troops, indeed, were disciplined to be held always ready, as was shown by Colonel Pond's" (3d) "brigade resisting General Buck's early attack, and my two other brigades having been the first troops to form and ready to march to engage the enemy on the morning of the 7th of April." Furthermore I asked attention to the following orders, received at 1 o'clock P. M., on the 3d of April, at Corinth:

, A. M.,, 3d April, 1862.

"Brigadier-General Ruggles Commanding Division:

"You will move out your division by way of Monterey to the intersection of the Purdy and Monterey road with the Bark road, leading towards Pittsburg. Encamp there to-night. Do not encumber the Pittsburg road, as other troops may have to pass you. You will follow Wither's division to Monterey, and then take on your brigade to that place" (Colonel Gibson's First Brigade). From"From [sic] Monterey you take the Purdy road, Withers one to the right of it."

"Captain Jenkins, in command of four companies of cavalry, will report to you. Captain Steele (engineers), will assign you a guide.