Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 33.djvu/28

 24 Southern Historical Society Papers.

some future time. I can say this, however, without the risk of taking up too much space at this time. After the disaster of the 1 2th, General Lee said to General Ewell, in my presence, that he had been misled in regard to the enemy in our front, by his scouts, and that the fatal mistake was in removing the artillery on our line. He and General Ewell both spoke in the kindest man- ner of General Johnson and commended him for his bravery and the faithful discharge of his duties, General Ewell saying that he never failed to carry out his orders, both without question and with intelligence, and they both exonerated him from any blame for the disaster.

WILLIAM W. OLD, Norfolk, Va., August n, 1905.