Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-03-05
BATTLE.
SOME LITERARY FACTS CONNECT
ED TIsEREWITH.
4 QUESTION OF GREAT INTEREST


y MtAhs
OWr.ttcn for the Dispatch)
By Henry Alexander White-Washlng-
ton and Lee University
Az what hour on the morning Of July
lS3. did General Longstrects troops
t-es.ut themselves, I'm readiness for bait
.e on the Seminary Ridge in front Of
l..t.sb urg? Strange 70 relate, it has
required a.period of thirty-three years 30
@o.-n. and yet this question bears upon
1n; and yet. this question bears
fle point that is most essential,
in the entire discussion of Long
. part I'm that great struggle. The
. acts in the case are as follows:
S. long as General r. T.. Lee remained
ALIKE DO utterance in public fen from any
Confederate officers lips concerning the
..ss ~ the field Of Gettysburg. on Janu-
.-r SO. 1872. at the Washington and Lee
Diversity. General J. \. Early felt im-
,..al 10 make reply 20 William swinton's
Hshel criticisms Of General Lees maa-
mont Of the battle. Swinton's strict
.-. were based upon alleged private
dement's by Lonestreet. Eariy's reply
Involved the charge that Lcnsstteet him
.If was responsible for tie rcpulse
q the Confederate army at Get
.s5urr. In support OF this charge
Early referred TO q conference held by
lee. Ewell. Rodes. aud Early late in the
.ternoos OF July J. 1853 and declared that
lee left that couferenc. for the purpose
nrrne In TINA
o.. herln the attack or dawn next morn
INK That corps was not in readiness to
make the attack uutl . o'clock in the
afternoon Of the next day." Southern
Historical Society Papers. December, 1877,
page esD Early's statements were re-
yeatcd in the Southern Magazine Septem-
ber-Octob.r. 1872. one year after Early's
address January 10. 1SI3-Dr. william y.
Ieal.cfon substautiated the charge
against L0ngstreet by reciting Lees per-
fou4l statement. made in the evening of
July D.. 1853. that he had ordered Long
street 90 attack cat sunrise the nest
morning." Or. Pcndleton's address was
published in the southern Magazine De-
.mbtr. 1874.
Il November. 1871. Longstreet made an-
fUer by publishing IN the Philadelphia
Times "a detailed account of the
mpaign and battle of Gettysburg. /
This article was reprinted in Southern
D. .torlcal Society Papers January-Ieb-
quarry. 1881 In this he denied that Lee
save him the order 10 attack at sunrise
July =. 1863. TO sustain his assertion
T. ..--trcct published extracts from let
tr- written by members Of Lees stan
and members Of his own staff, declaring
ta. they had no knowledge of Lees
Among these extracts there was
.. from q letter written to Longstrcet
i- Hood. who commanded the rear If
ol ln LOngstTeet's marching column.
a the First Corps drew nigh TO Gettys
h..-. AS the quotation from Hoods let
'- plays an important part i'm the later
-.s Of the discussion, we may pause
here long enough 20 say that this letter
..t. as cited by Longstreet, bore no
.t.. The extract ran thus:
Oh arrived with my staff in front or the
t -lls Of Gettysburg shortly after day
break. as / have already stated, on the
morning Of the 2d OF July. My division
soon commenced filing into an open field
t.r me. when the troops were allowed TO
.t..t arms and wait until further orders.
A short distance in advance OF this point,
and during the early part OF the same
mp:riar. We OOngstrect and Hood We're
Doth ENGAGED I'm company with Generals
a. D. IHl and Lee ia observing the posi-
ton 90 fle Icderals. Cen
,faI Lo. was seemingly anxious that YOU
slo..- attack hat morning. lie remark
al to m.. The enemy Is here, ana II we
D1 rot whip him he VIII whip us You
Thought 70 better 10 await the arrival Of
l..aetts Division, at that time still in the
f..r. fro order 10 max the attack, and you
sl 90 me subsequently, while We were
..I together. near the trunk or q tree;
General Lee IS a little nervous this morn
Die wishes me TO attack. / do not
N.a t1 DO 50 without Pickett. l never
% 20 into a battle with one boot
Southern Historical Society Papers
ry-Fcbruary, 1873, page ~
"u its face this note is rather In
into as 20 the time of the converse
among the officers. the time proposed
tae attack. and the time Of the arrival
.. Hoods infantrymen. II is interesting
mark the significance attached 10
-aa statement by LOngstreet hiinselI.
DIT held that r. completed his chain OF
ence 70 c|ispr0ve the assertions in re-
'i 20 The 'rumOred order for a sunrise
Dh' Southern Historical Society
.'fs January-Fehruary. 1875; page. 7J)
ii.94'a statement. however, ia Early's
WAS given a different i%utcrpreta-
. Early re-entered the lists. in the
~ the Southern Historical Society
if and cited Hoods letter as the
esq Ink IN his chain OF evidence 90 prove
p LDrgstreet was ordered 90 make ana
h iu the early morning az July "a.
letter. said Early. indicated the
execution Of Lees order ln the ac-
arrival OF LOngstreet's troops upon
binary Ridge between dawn and sum
III there had before remained any
-9-at" wrote Early, "as 10 who was
,'io4eible for the failure 10 strike the
." 40 the proper time, the very clear
eil explicit statement by General Hood.
'n ls q most valuable contribution
ias history OF the battle, would settle
q : doubt beyond dispute, / think. Cen
'~ Hoods statement furnishes informa-
ION not before given in regard TO the
'"e VI the arrival on the ground Of |
"nstireet's troops, and renders IL very !
''iiain that the orders Tor the attack 20 \
p fin were given very early In the morn !
r not the night before" C%"southern /
~eloilcal Society Papers. December. 1871; l
So Hood got up before sunrise. l
"- ne gives several circumstances tend |
= TO snow that General Lee was anxious \
, n1he the attack at once" udem, |
I's, page. 2SD) At the same time, !
"iH set forth a detailed statement OF !