Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 18.djvu/185

 General Joseph Eygleston Johnston. 185

I beg leave to ask the attention of the Government especially to the manner in which Brigadier- Generals Whiting and R. H. Anderson and Colonels Jenkins, Kemper, and Hampton, exercising commands above their grades, and Brigadier-General Rhodes, are mentioned. This and the captured colors will be delivered by A. H. Cole, of my staff.

I have been prevented by feebleness from making this report sooner, and am still too weak to make any but a very imperfect one.

Several hundred prisoners were taken, but I have received no report of the number.

Your obedient servant,

(Signed) J. E. JOHNSTON, Genera!.

[From the Richmond Times, March 29, 1891.] THE BATTLE IN WHICH GENERAL JOHNSTON WAS WOUNDED.

DESCRIBED nv HIS COURIER, DRURV L. ARMISTEAD.

FARMVILLE, VA., March 28, 1891.

Among the many who will cherish the memory and mourn the death of that grand old soldier and chieftain, General Joseph E. Johnston, there will be no one more sincere and loving than his old courier and soldier, Drury L. Armistead, of Prince Edward county, who so gallantly rescued him from the battle-field of Seven Pines, and to whom the General was so attached, and upon one occasion said : "Armistead is one of the bravest and truest soldiers I ever saw." Your correspondent has fortunately obtained the following account from Mr. Armistead of that memorable day :

A MEMORABLE DAY.

General Johnston having removed his headquarters from a position on the River road, 2Qth May, 1862, to a position on the Nine-Mile road several miles east of Richmond, and having decided to attack McClellan after the heavy rain of the evening and fore-part of the night of that day, called for couriers to carry dispatches to his corps