Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 31.djvu/288

 280 Southern Historical Society Papers.

LIEUTENANT JAMES ELLETT.

Lieutenant James Ellett succeeded to the command of the battery, and proved as efficient and gallant a commander as he had been a second. When temporarily in command of the battery at Sharps- burg, when Captain Crenshaw had gone ahead to locate his position, the writer heard an artillery captain ask Lieutenant Ellett where he was taking his battery, he replied: "Just over yonder." The cap- tain then suggested that the position was untenable; that he would lose his guns, as he (the captain) had examined the position. Lieu- tenant Ellett listened attentively, and when the captain had finished, simply said, "Forward!" and the Crenshaw Battery was soon in action and held the position until the battle ended.

On Friday, September 26, the following congratulatory order from General A. P. Hill was read at evening assembly:

HEADQUARTERS LIGHT DIVISION,

CAMP BRANCH, September 24, 1862. Soldiers of the Light Division :

You have done well, and I am well pleased with you. You have fought in every battle from Mechanicsville to Shepherdstown, and no man can yet say that the Light Divison has ever been broken. You held the left at Manassas against overwhelming numbers, and saved the army; you saved the day at Sharpsburg, and at Shepherdstown you were selected to face a storm of round shot, shell and grape, such as I have never before seen. I am proud to say to you that your ser- vices are appreciated by our general, and that you have a reputation in the army which it should be the object of every officer and pri- vate to sustain.

A. P. HILL, Major- General. Official: R. S. WINGATE, A. A. A. G.

On Saturday, October 4, the following order from General Lee was read, which is worthy of a place in this history, and needs no comment:

General Orders^ No. 116.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY NORTHERN VIRGINIA,

October 2, 1862.

In reviewing the achievements of the army during the present campaign the Commanding General cannot withhold the expression