The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-06-26
ABOUT LEE
and UARl
Recollections Of the Old Vete-.
rams Differ in Many Respects,
But Ali Interesting.
LIGHT ON "PAWNEE SUNDAY"
Evidently Major De Leon Has
Been Caught Mapping by
An Old Confederate.

Editor OF tho Times-pispatch:
* Sir,NYou kindly published In your
Times Dispatch ii, the Confederate Col-
urnn Of April IL. 1904. inas article on Lee
to the Rear. at Spotsylvalia, May u,
1861. II seems TO be entirely Ignored or
contratlicted by J. s. NJ, of Nlcksburs
Mississippi, in tho Confederate Colnn Of
May % 1901. In his reference ~. 1ei 81.
John s. Gordon, he highly compliments
that officer but adds; None the less his
4 "reminiscences, only just read by the lll-
dersigned q. S. Nd, contain errors wh WHICH
II call for correction, In Justice to ING Neit-
ity Of history and he dead and living.
who helped make history, !, 4, i, !, !,
And now l wish 70 add my testimony
e substitute al that3Gen G R,1 elains
asks; ITO 20 down into history" the
truth, and nothing else, with due res ecti
to the claims OF al others on tna aa ms llne,
taken for the Il flair of May 40, lSsis ell het,&
SO as to allew any other troops. to be
the heroes OF that eyer "a memortble !, ln !,
after the capture of Gen. Edward john
sons division in the Toe ,2 Of inc horse Sc
shoe, but Pegramsl Virginia ~, Brlga l..,,'
Gen. John y. Gordons Division, / was was
an eye witness and AN active participant
lin that affair that day. , happsned n
the immediate front lof the 49tn MtLginlaI
then by Col. j. e. Gibson, who is still
living, and i heard him tell the story
s8oNe q, AGAIN. last oclo ~ "
\ on the morning OF May ~ Il, 1854. the
h Ionisiana Brigade supported Gen en- john Y.
brigade was doubled 10 S on them as Their
supports, and GordoD,s Georgia Brigade
\ and Lewis's North Carolina Brigade sup
It5was pouring down rain. and hardly
dawn Of day when Hancock sprang out
i like a tiger with four OF, five men. 70 one
OF ,I'hnson,s and oyerpewereei and sap.
e furcd them gallant young officer
sprang out .of the ditch and said to US:
Men don't be scared: keep cool and fol-
place, which invitation we accepted
without moments hesitation, fol. we
had 10 time 70 lose being ~ an 4! on "a
perilous gauntlet for three or four, hund.
red yards. when. we came to n halt. and
looking around ] saw Gen. r. =. Lee
three steps OF re. He seemed to he look
Ing right into our faces! and the ilfst
word he said Was 'tTiends VIII you fol.
in front who We're very imcomfortab,lS
close in a, thicket between us aud the
lost lost workswsn AZ q Us with one ri az
Gen Lee, these are Virsinlans, they
aye nsysr nieh ao hsF d MSt Saa
to risk Your vall:ablGrlife ia leading this
e,arfe but t a WI follow me- won't
Company p, 4ath Virginia Infantry, took
hold Of Gen; Lees bride and led his
horse through has The ranks q comgainy
opening the ranks. as also did Capt. j.
u. updike and Lieut.. ]. G. Brown. and I
by this time a group Of officers and men
beside Gordon and Lee, except Col j,
G. Gibson ana Major Samuel Hale. Gen.
ary said Ad hs Geaea a., Gen Coz
through our ranks. Charge nleh; follow.
me- and in FIVE minutes the lost works
We're ours, and fun OF Yankees, too: but
by hundreds. And must the families of
those heroes H;ho followed the peerless
Gordon, and his friends now be told;
were not there that day. Gen. John y, !
Gordon is gone. too" Must ii be said he
tried 70 perveFt history in his favor. No,
true history OF this affair summon me-
and will furnish plenty Of responsible
witnesses W. TO !, prove that my statement OF
was not n general nor a STAFF officer, and |
only know what | saw that day, May i2,
1874. and was 3 too busy TO know what 9th
or brigadcs General Lee offered to lcud \
In battle. nor do dispute anyhody's i
as may conflict with the above state, I
ments.
see February, 1884, number Confederate
sn fa@ IL Mae sid ia WR ss ass abSu, 9l be
affairs Of May IT, lsei lie described I
Gen. John y. Gordon as the conspc
nous actor ia the Lee To tho rear, in- I
cideit. rs tia myth of Col. Geldymith's /
too
49th Virginia Regiment. that day aud ar
ttsrwards us couillendepl by reason OF 4
Tic gallant Capt, j. j. Updilfps wounds,
received IN the charge thai disabled him
from further service during the WAR;
nnd ] wps further honored with AN MP.
pplntnent - act as Lieutenant Colonel l.
ln tlle soriio On Fort stnadmun, March
2lfh. 1863,
Yours trlly
n. y. lfIifSISl II 1ESl1R.
Marrertown, Shenandoah county. Va,