Gordon for instructions, who, awhile before day, accompanied by General Fitz Lee, came to my position, when we held a council of war. General Gordon was of the opinion that the troops in our front were cavalry, and that General Fitz Lee should attack. Fitz Lee thought that they were infantry, and that Gordon should attack. They discussed the matter so long that I became impatient, and said it was the duty of some one to attack, and that too immediately; and I felt satisfied that they could be driven from the cross-roads occupied by them, which was the route it was desirable our wagon train should pursue, and that I would undertake it. Whereupon Gordon said: "Well drive them off;" I replied, "I cannot do so with my division alone, but require assistance." He then said, "You can take the other two divisions of the corps." About this time it was becoming sufficiently light to make the surrounding localities visible.
"I then rode down and invited
General Walker, who commanded a division on my left composed principally of
Virginians to ride with me, showed him the position of the enemy, and explained
to him my views and plan of attack. He agreed with me as to its
advisability.
"Struck by the strangeness of
the reply, I asked an explanation, whereupon he informed me that we would be
surrendered. I expressed very forcibly my dissent at being surrendered, and
indignantly upbraided him for not giving me notice of such an intention, as I
could have escaped with my division, and joined General Jo. Johnston, then in
North Carolina; furthermore, that I should then inform my men of the purpose to
surrender, and whomsoever desired to escape that calamity could go with me, and
galloped off to carry this idea into effect. Before reaching my troops, however,
General Gordon overtook me, and placing his hand on my shoulder, asked me if I
was going to desert the army and tarnish my own honor as a soldier; that it
would be a reflection upon General Lee and an indelible disgrace to me that, I,
an officer of rank, should escape under a flag of truce which was pending. I was
in a dilemma and knew not what to do, but finally concluded to say nothing to my
troops on the subject.
Dr. Richard H. Lewis, the most distinguish-occulist
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