Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 22.djvu/34

 22 Xoutlii-rn Il'islni'irill Snriffi/ l\t yt /'*.

ther instructions when Colonel Morrison rode up to me from the direction of the left of my line, and I becoming aware of his presence with his regiment, my command of it ceased, but not till then."

(Ah! Jimmie, here I think your recollection is at fault. I could scarcely get through that swamp on foot. Would never have done so on horseback, and I came from the right.)

First Lieutenant William L. Smith, of the Fifteenth Virginia In- fantry, says: " Haw's mistake was quite a natural one; he being at one point of the line, could not possibly tell what took place at all times at other points. The facts in the case are these: While we were in skirmish line under the brow of the hill and protected by a slight thicket of trees, you came up and passed in rear of Company A, going to the right. A few moments later we advanced to the attack. I do not know whether you saw Captain Waid assume com- mand or not. I know positively it was at this time you came up, for I remember, distinctly, remarking to one of my comrades, ' Well, the Colonel is up just in time for the ball.' '

SERGEANT-MAJOR LACY's RECOLLECTION.

Sergeant- Major James B. Lacy says: "On our advance we came to a little stream in a bottom, which we crossed, and found ourselves in sight of the field, and saw the enemy occupying the Howlett-house works. We came to a halt, and I think it was Captain Waid who asked me 'where was Morrison?' As I did not know, he sent me to look for you. I found you a short distance in rear, talking with one of the sergeants in the line of file-closers."

" I delivered his message, which was, ' We have sighted the enemy and await your instructions.' Your reply was, 'Use your own dis- cretion, but be prudent, and tell him not to get where he cannot extricate himself.' I ran back swiftly, found the men where I had left them, gave Captain Waid the instructions, and had hardly done so when, without any order that I heard, a big yell went up, and every man dashed out of the woods and into the field, and the ene- my, making little resistance, left the works just before we got to them.

" You were dismounted when I saw you in the woods, and did not have your horse with you. All the horses were left on the pike when we entered the woods."

LIEUTENANT BUMPASS' TESTIMONY.

B. B. Bumpass, lieutenant Company C, says: " It has been so long