Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 23.djvu/92

 *i) Southern Historical Society Papers.

I then had his body carried across the breastworks to a secure place, left it in charge of this Federal officer, who begged me to have it buried, if possible, and place a Confederate guard with it.

At this period the Federal officer who brought me to General Ly tie's body said to me : " General Ly tie's family will never forget you for this act of kindness; will you kindly give me your name and rank ?' '

I hesitated and said : " The Inspector-General of General Ander- son's Division."

This did not satisfy him. He pulled a memorandum-book from his pocket and said : " I want your full address."

I gave it to him "Major Douglass West, Inspector-General. Deas' Brigade."

He startled me by replying : " Why, that's my name ! Probably we are some kin ?' '

I replied : "Where are you from?" and he answered: "I am Lieutenant-Colonel Theodore I. West, of the Twenty-fourth Wis- consin Regiment." I said: "We can hardly be kin, my family have been in Virginia over two centuries, and never immigrated."

EXCHANGED SABRES.

I exchanged sabres with him, he having a very light service sabre, and mine being a very clumsy Confederate-made Claymore. He stated that his sabre was private property, presented to him by the citizens of his county, and bore his name on the blade, which I found by examining it to be true.

I had sent a courier in search of an ambulance during this conversa- tion. In the meantime the courier had returned, and said he could find no ambulance, but listening, I heard through the woods the dis- tant sound of a vehicle. Immediately I galloped towards the sound and met Lieutenant-General Longstreet and staff, and reported to him the killing of General Lytle, and that I was then in search of an ambulance to carry his body off the field and have it buried. I over- took the ambulance about a mile distant, and riding along side of it discovered that it contained Captain Deas Nott, of the Twenty-second Alabama, mortally wounded in the charge that killed General Lytle. I asked Captain Nott if he was severely wounded, and he replied: " I think I am mortally wounded."

I told him I had General Ly tie's body, and that, as the dead officer had been a war Democrat and friendly towards a proper conduct of