The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1862-03-12


position BY famine. We had occupied the
whole day to accomplish our object. and be.
fore we could prepare to leave after taking
in the wounded and the dead. the enemy had
thrown around Us again in the night an i'm
mense force Of fresh loops, and re-occupied
his original position in the line Of invest.
ment. thus sgain cutting Oft our retreat.
We had only about $4,000 troops all told.
OF these large proportion we had lost IN
the three battles. The command mad been
10 the trenches night and day for Eve days.
exposed to the snow. mud and ice water,
without shelter, without covering and with
out sleep.
In this condition the general officers held
consultation to determine what we should
do. Gen. Buckner gave it as his decided
opinion that he could not hold his position
one half an hour against an assault of the
enemy. and said the enemy would attack
him next morning at daylight. The propo-
sition then was made BY the undersigned to
again fight through the enemy's line aud cut
our way out. General Buckner said his
command was so worn out and cut to pieces
and demoralized. that he could NOT make
another fight; that il would cost the COM
mand three quarters Of its present numbers,
to cut its way through, and It was wrong 10
sacrifice three-quarters Of command TO save
one quarter that no officer had a right Il
cause such sacrifice. Gen. Floyd aud Ma
jor Gilmer understood TO concur in this
opinion. :.
l then expressed the opinion that we could
hold out another day, and in that time we
could get steamboats, and set the command
over the river. and probably save large
portion Of il. To this Gen. Buckner re-
piled that the enemy would certainly attack
him at daylight. and that he could not hold
his position half an hour The alternative
Of the propositions was a surrender Of theli
position and command. Gen. FLOYD said
that he would neither surrender the com
mand, nnr would he surrender himself a pri.
soner. had taken the same position. Gea
Buckncr said he was satisfied nulhing els,
could be done. and that. therefore. he soall
surrender, It placed in command Genera
Floyd said that he would turn over the com.
mand 10 him il he could be allowed TO with
draw bis command TO this Gen. Bucknel
consented. Thereupon Gen. Floyd turned
the command over to me. passing il in
stanily to Gen. Bickner, saying woul.
Reithrr surrender the command NOR mysel
a prisoner. | directed Col. Forrest tu Gu
his way out. Under these circumstance
Gen. Backner accepted the comm md. ant
sent flag Of truce 10 the enemy for an ar
mistice OF six hours 10 negotiate for term
Of capitulalinn. Befnre this flag and com
munlcstion was delivered retired from III,
garrison.
Before closing my report Of the opera
tons Of the army a, Dnnel.on. must in JUS
tice To the officers and forces under my i'm
mediate command. say that harder fghrn.
or more gallant conduct in officers and mer
have never witnessed. In the absence o
official reports Of brigade and regimrnta
commanders. (of which | am deprived b,
the circumstances detailed 10 this report.)
may not BE- able to do justice 10 the fferen
corps. | will say however that the furce
under nv immediate command bore them
selves most galianily throughout the long an,
bloody conflict.