Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-11-28
CoLnMBus. MISS Nov. IA, 1884.

COLUMBUS, Miss, Nov. IA, 1851
Governor James D. Porter Nashville,
Tenn;
DEAR SrR-Yours of the 18th inst
reached me TO- day, and hasten to reply,
saying that my authority for the state
ment in the note on page 496, of the No
yember number, 1888 Of the Southern
Historical Society Papers, that Brigadier
General Alexander W. Reynolds bri-
pade Of East Tennesseeans were the first
TO give way at Mission Ridge and could
not be rallied, is the late General Bragg.
In the preparation of the sketch, General
Bragg furnished me many Of his private
papers, preserved from the general
wreck and wrote me several letters in
answer TO certain questions at different
times asked of him. The statement to
which you called my attention was fur
nished In answer 10 one of thesequestions,
but did not reach me until the sketch had
been published in our city paper the Co
| lumbus Index, edited by our mutual friend
General J.H.Sharp. appended the state
ment and other information furnished me
by General Bragg in the form OF notes,
intending at some future time TO elaDo-
rate more at length, but on the VISIT here
last winter of General George D.Johnston
agent Of the Southern Historical Papers,
he heard Of the papers in my possession
and asked 10 read them, and then made
the request that furnish them TO the So
ciety at Richmond. In the following
LAST February received from Rev. j..
William Jones, of the society, very urg-
emit letter requesting copies Of my papers.
Not having the time to make copies, l sent
him the original papers by express on the
18th Of February last, and heard no more
from them until i saw the first Install
ment of the sketch published in the
Papers"
The original autograph letter of General
Bragg, dated February 8, 1873, containing
the statement Of which you complain, Is
quite lengthy and written entirely with
pencil, and, along with the other letters,
Is in the possession Of the Southern His
: torical Society, where you can, presume,
by writingto the Secretary, obtain copy.
1t was in good state Of preservation
when forwarded by me,
In his report Of the battle Of Mission
Ridge you will observe that General
Bragg charges Anderson's division with
first giving way and permitting the enc
my TO pierce our center, but you can sec
BY reading the letter Of February 3, 1873
a COPY of which is now before me, hi
, makes the following unqualified declara
ton;
n have always believed our disasters a
e Mission Ridge were due Immediately Y
a misconduct of brigade Of Buckner'
troops from East Tennessee, commanded
by Brigadier General Alex. w. Rey
: nolds. which first gave way and could no
n be rallied
a You will find in said letter man
startling revelations which l would nc
for obvious reasons allude to in tn
d sketch
|, 50 far as personally know, this br
+, gade may or may not havebeen compose
Of Tennesseana. II may not have had
d single Tennessee regiment or company u
II 1t. / only state what was given 70 me
10 fact by Zone who was presumed I
n know. l trust that you will consider m
as desiring only 10 chronicle the trutt
u Of history as furnished by what consC
le cred the most reliable source Of informs
ton, and certainly the General of Il
army should be presumed TO be the be
repository Of all important informati'
le touching the army under his command
d AT least 1 feel that you will relieve me
,st any motive or disposition TO misstate IL
portant facts, when it Is sec
10 that the statements l make are back
" by the authority OF the General col
v. mandng. wished only to speak Of q
!. facts as they were represented TO n
-, "nothing extenuate nor set down aug
IS, = '''''' T. 4. SYKES.