Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 22.djvu/15

 General /'// > CassviNe.

sure of his division, and General Polk is made to send this officer likewise to hunt up General Johnston, and after " reporting back the remarks of General Johnston, Major West found that Captain Mor- ris had reached General Folk's headquarters," and the captain in turn *' was sent to French's position to make a thorough survey and report of it." He made a very thorough one and reported the posi- tion very exposed for the defensive, but as admirable for the offen- sive.

I have Captain Morris' report, but I do not find in it where he reported the line as admirable for the offensive. I will have occasion to refer to this report after a while. I merely wish to remark that when we find Captain Morris at -General Folk's headquarters we have something tangible in regard to time.

Third And the article goes on to state that " General Polk, since the first report from General French, appeared much annoyed at this unexpected weakness in his line, which, from the pertinacity of Gen- eral French, was growing into an obstacle to the impending battle, for which General Polk shared the enthusiasm and confidence of the troops."

Now, contrast this with what the writer says further on, when he tells us " General Polk had so little confidence in the representations of the weakness of his line at the point referred to that he did not go there in person."

It is not always safe to divine what is passing through a man's mind from appearances, and having "little confidence in the repre- sentations," the deduction of "annoyance" may not be correct which is attributed to General Polk. Now, inasmuch as General Polk was present (when General F. A. Shoupe " pointed out the fact to General Johnston that his line would be enfiladed before the troops were posted, and suggested a change of position) and strongly sup- ported Shoupe's objections," he must have been early apprised of the general condition of the line before he received the alleged report from me, which the writer explicitly affirms was sustained by Colo- nels Sevier, West and Morris hence the weakness of his line was not unexpected, and should not "have grown into an obstacle to the impending battle." General Shoupe's letter will be found in Hood's book, page 105.

Fourth In writing about the conference I find the account thus: "That evening about sunset General Hood arrived at the rendez-