The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-09-20
The Truth of HistOry-A letter from
Brisaaier-General Lame.
For the Dispatch

For the Dispatch.
RICHMOND, VA, September 10, 1867.
The Petersburg intler, in its editorial
notice of Mr.. Pollard's new work entitled
"Lee and HIS LieutenantS," does great in
Justice to Lanes North Carolina brigade
and the other gallant troops composing
Wilcox's division.
That paper asserts Wilcox was not en-
gagged, except slightly, on the first evening
at the Wilderness whereas Heth's and
Wilcox's divisions were both hotly en-
gagged, and succeeded in keeping back
two or more corps of the Yankee army.
In my official report stated that We-that
is, my brigade-wcre the last troops to be-
come engaged, and, without hope of as
sistance, kept up the unequal contest
from about 5 o'clock P. M. until Q. My
aggregate loss in the fights Of the 9th and
9th was AS.
The next error is in the assertion that
"Wilcoxs troops did not hold their own
on the 18th Of May at Spotsylvania."
General Early, however, is of different
opinion: for in his "Memoir of the Last
Year of the War for Independence" page
rs, he says:
very heavy attack on Ewcll's front, and
broke the line where it was occupied by
Johnson's division. A portion Of the at
lacking force swept along Johnson's line
to Wilcox's left, and was checked by a
prompt movement on the part OF Briga-
der General Lane, who was on that flank.
As soon as the firing was heard, General
Wilcox sent Thomas's and Scales's bri-
gades to Lanes assistance, and they ar
rived Just as Lanes brigade had repulsed
this body Of the enemy, and they pursued
it for short distance. As soon as Ma
homes division arrived from the left, Per-
rims and Harris's brigades, of that division,
were sent to General Ewell's assistance,
and were carried into action under his
orders. Brigadicr- General Perrin was
killed and Brigadier- General MCGOWAN
severely wounded, while gallantly leading
their respective brigades into action; and
all the brigades sent to Ewell's assistance
suffered severely.
Subsequently, on the same day, under
orders from General Lee, Lanes brigade
of Wilcox's division and Mahone's own
brigade (undcr Colonel Weisiger) were
thrown to the front for the purpose of
moving to the left and attacking the flank
of the column of the enemy which had
broken Ewelrs line, to relieve the pressure
on him, and, if possible, recover the part
of the line which had been lost. Lanes
brigade commenced the movement, and
had not proceeded far when it encoun-
tered and attacked, in piece of woods
in front Of my line, the Ninth corps,
under Burnside, moving up to attack a
salient on my front. Lane captured over
three hundred (300) prisoners and three
battle flags, and his attack on the enemy's
flank, taking him by surprise, no doubt
contributed materially to his repulSe. Ma
homes brigade did not become seriously
engaged. The attacking column which
Lane encountered got up to within very
short distance of a salient defended by
Walkers brigade Of ueth'S division, under
Colonel Mayo, before it was discovered, as
there was pine thcket in front, under
cover of which the advance was made. A
heavy fire of musketry from Walkers bri-
gade, and Thomas's, which was on its left,
and a fire of artillery from considerable
number Of guns on Hcth's line, were
opened with tremendous effect upon the
attacking column, and it was driven back
with heavy loss, leaving its dead in front of
our works. This affair took place under
the eye of General Lee himself"
The original of the following communi-
cation is still in my possession:
HEAperARrERs ARMY NORTHERN
ON BATTLE'Fl FIELD, May L. 1864.
General c. II. Wilcor.
commanding diUiSion:
General, General Leo directs me to
acknowledge the receipt of the flags cap
tured by Lanes brigade in its gallant
charge of yesterday, and to say that they
VIII be forwarded to the Hon. Secretary
OF War with the accompanying note and
Inc names of the brave captors.
am, very respectfully,
Your obcdieut servant,
&C. S. VENABLE, A. D.C.n
Inc lnder is again mistaken when il
says: Instead of achieving success At
Sericno lord, May oath, as Pollard relatas
ms origades Lanes and McGowan,sl. he
haVeo most disgracefully, and were 70
placed by Davis's and Cookies troons of
heth's division" The Thirty. seventh
regiment alone Of my brigade behaved
oaaiy on that occasion; but in Justice To
this regiment, it must be remembered that
IL iost ITS colonel and many of its brayest
T company officers in the fight of the 18th.
nc seventh was guarding a point on the
n,h ei' ana was not actively engaged. The
" dro tnree regiments fought very gallant.
nns; uioae Tue enemy back to COMMANDING
p pUa, Uh;. aear The river, held the ground
Jsot "ni1n laey fought, removed ali their
bu aT nS anu wounded and were not relieved
by DaYis's brigade until II o,clocL .hot
night, at which time the fiobt;nn la la
ceased. La"
Lastly. The Index denies that Fort