The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-10-22

General Lee for nearly three mon tbs, in
the autumn OF 1864. But time passed
ana l was given rank, and 1t was my
good fortune to be In the saddle with
General Lee several hours each day. 1t
was on the north side of this James
River. and we were guarding Richmond
from attack by General Butler. We had
only two divisions, that Of General Fields
and my own. My division had been fight
Ing hard all the year, and. though re-
duced in numbers, was a perfect fighting
machine, ready for anything and afraid
OF nothing. And now / will tell you
the fact-General Lee did not think his
soldiers could be whipped. He never did
think 50, and his confidence in their
success was simply limitless. Butler had
10000 troops there, having recruited his
forces, and we were guarding the New
Market Road. I never knew General Lee
to be at all nervous, but once. We haF
built a lnetof breastworks, fully ten feet
high, for q distance of four miles, facing
Buffers heavy force, and, In order to
make him believe that our force was far
larger than it really was It was our
custom to move our men back and forth
behind our heavy 1ntrenchments which
had been thrown3.up from the sldo fac
ing him, so that there was no ditch on
our side. Often we double qucked our
troops back and forth, SO that lie was
deluded into the belief that we had a
heavy force. One night I and my, staff
went out In front Of our works and.
Keeping perfectly quiet. listened for
noises. The night was still and frosty,
and you know that on such nights YOU
4 can hear noises an incredible distance
Tor Instance, talking couple Of miles
or 80 We heard the rumbling Of ar
stillery and all other noises, which show
nr<l1 f1a, 49,
and l soon arrived at the conclusion that
he was going to attack that part Of our
works Immediately across the New Mar
y ket Road.
4 Actloh was at once taken and our force
was massed there, with plenty Of srtii.
lery, with shell and canister shot ar
ranged for. close work. Very early in the
morning General Lee came out Of his
tent and rode over to where was IN
q quicker way than had ever heard
him speak, and in tone which BETRAYED
his anxiety, he asked me- What VIII
they do, General Hoke" He showed his
nervousness, but, Of course not fear,
since he did not know the meaning Of
the latter word, as applied to himself or
to his troops He simply did not know
where Butler intended to strike. i told
General Lee that General Butler had
Gmassed his4attacklng force directly III
front of US, and that he was going to
try and take the New Market road. II
was but little while before Butler
made the attack, and that instant Cen
eral Lee was himself again, nll unccr-.
tainty gone and full OF the fire Of bat
e tie. He whipped Butler to q standstill
though he came at us again and again.
hanging on for several hours. Then he
gave 1t up and retired. We had
perfect position, behind our high and
heavy entertainments. Had he tried, by
dividing his force, to attack there, and
then the flank at the same time, we
would have advanced from our works,
and by assnulting his troops in ou,.fron1.
compelled him to bring the others to their
aid, and then would have beaten the en-
tire force.
zone thing always struck me In regard
to General Lee, this being that in all our
times of fighting together and0 when I