Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-09-24

opposite side Of the town, i found the
enemy IN my front. Throwing out my
skirmlshers and forming line of battle,
reconnoitred and satisfied myself as TO
their position, and waited the arrival
OF General Gordon for instruction. who,
awhile before day, accompanied by Gene
raj Fitz Lee, came TO my position, when
we held a council of war. General Cor
don was Of the opinion that the troops
I'm our front were cavalry. and that Cen
eral Fitz Lee should attack. Ftz Lee
thought they were infantry and That Cen
eral Gordon should attack. They dis
cussed the matter so long that i became
impatient, and said II was somebody's
duty TO attack, and that Immediately,
and / felt satisfied that they could be
driven from the crossroads occupied
by them. which was the route il was de-
sirable that our wagon train should pur-
sue and that / would undertake it;
whereupon Gordon said. "Wel drive
them OFF" / replied: Il cannot do 1t
with my division alone; but require as
sistance." lie then said: you can take
the two other divisions OF the corps"
by this time it was becoming sufficiently
light to make the surrounding localities
visible. | then rode down and invited
General Walker who commanded d.
vision on my left, composed principally
him the position Of the enemy and ex-
planning to him my views and plans
of attack He agreed with me as to its
ACCESSIBILITY. / did this because l felt
that 1 had assumed a very great re-
sponsbllity when l took upon myself the
charge of making the attack. | then
made dispositions to dislOdge the Fed
erals from their position. placing Bush
rod Johnson's Division upon my right,
with instructions to attack and take the
enemy IN the flank, while my division
sbirmishers charged in front. where tenn
porary earthworks' had been thrown up
by the enemy their cavalry holding
the crossings Of the road with bat
terry l soon perceived a disposition on
their part to attack this division IN
flank. | rode back and threw our right
so as TO take advantage Of some bitches
and fences to obstruct the cavalry IL
they should attempt to make a charge.
In the meantime the cavalry of Fitz Lee
were proceeding by a circuitous route
to get in rear Of them at the cross
roads The enemy, observing me. fired
upon me with four pieces of artillery. l
remember well the appearance of the
shell, and how directly they came to-
wards me. exploding and completely en-
veloping me in smoke. l then gave the
signal to advance. At the same time FitZ
lee charged those posted al the cross
roads. when my skrmishers attacked
the breastworks, which were taken
without much loss on my part, also cap
turing several pieces Of artillery and
large number Of prisoners, | at the same
time moving the division up TO the sup
port of the skirmishers in echelon by
brigades. driving the enemy in confu-
sion for thrce-quarters Of a mile beyond
the range Of hills covered with oak un-
dergroWth. ] then learned from the
prisoners that my right flank was threat
ened. Hating my troops. ] placed the
skirmishcrs, commanded by Colonel j. X.
Winston, Forty-hfth North Carolina
troops I'm 'front.' about 100 yards dis
tant. to give notice Of indication Of at
tack. / placed Cox's Brigade, which oc-
cupied the right Of the division. at right
angles 10 the other troors, to watch that
flank. The other divisions of the corps
walkers and Evans9 were on the left
l then sent an officer to General Gordon
announcing our success and that the
Lynchburg road was open for the escape
of the wagons, and that l awaited orders.
Thereupon | received an order to with
draw, which I declined to do, suppOsing
that General Gordon did not understand
the commanding position which my troops
occupied. He continued to send me order
after order to the same effect. which |
still disregarded. being under the impress
sion that he did not comprehend our IA
vorabe location, until finally l received
Il message from him, with an additional
one as coming from General Lee, TO fan
back. / felt the difficulty of Withdrawing
without disaster. and ordered Colonel j.
r. Winston, commanding the skirmish
line which had been posted in my front
to
ms movement to those of the division,
and TO move by the left flank so as TO
give notice of an attack from that quar-
ter / then ordered Cox to maintain his
position in line of battle. and not to show
himself until our rear was 100 yards dis
tant, and then to fall back in line of bat
tie, so as to protects oar rear and right
flank from assault. / then instructed
Major Peyton, of my staff, to start the
left in motion, and / continued with the
rear.
The enemy, upon seeing us move off,
rushed out from under cover with a
cheer. when Cox's Brigade. lying con-
cealed at the brow of the hill, rose and
fired a volley into them, which drove
them back into the woods, the brigade
then following their retreating comrades
in line of battle unmOlested After pro-
ceeding about half the distance TO the
position occupied by us in the morning, a
dense mass Of the enemy I'm column On
fantry) appeared on our right, and adj
vanced without firing towards the earth
works captured by us in the morning,
when a battery of our artillery opened
with grape and canister and drove them
under the shelter OF the woods.
AS my troops approached their position
OF the morning l rode up TO General
Gordon and asked where l should form
line Of battle He replied Anywhere
you choose" Struck by the strangeness
OF the reply. l asked an explanation,
whereupon he informed me that we
would be surrendered. l then expressed
very forcibly my dissent 10 being sur
rendered. and Indignantly upbraided him
for not giving me notice OF such inten-
ton, as / could have escaped with my
division and joined General Joe john
ston, then in North Carolina. Further
more, that l should then inform my men
OF the purp05h to surrender, and that
whoever desired to escape that calamity
could go with me, and galloped off to
carry this idea into effect. Before reach
ing my troops, however. General Gordon