The National tribune., 1908-07-30

versant with the surroundings, believed
that a crisis was near. For instance. 4
day or too before the crisis came, a
courier was called and my turn came
to carry some papers from HilFs head
quarters to Con. lees headquarters
and also to Gen. Heth. both being west
of the city. When / delivered the mes
Usage to Gen. Lee / saw the General
was troubled, and being very pleasant
gentleman and dear friend to your
correspondent. after my official duty
was ended with him ] told him | was
going over to Gen. Heth's headquarters,
| and as | started the General accom-
| panied me down almost to the road
| in front of the Venable House. which
was quite a good distance from the
road; all the while talking of the sit
uation. which the General knew ! was
very familiar with. When we parted
Gen. Lee said: Jenkins. tell Gen Heth,
| for me. to keep q close watch on the
enemy's movements. and report every
showed the great stress to which the
situation had grown.
On the morning of April 2 the crisis
came. When our lines were broken
about Fort Gregg, about o'clock, Gen.
Hill called for two couriers. Serg't
Geo. w. Tucker and myself went with
Gen. Hill to the right of our line. We
went ny lLec teio CT
the Venable House, and / think Gen.
Hill stopped short time. talking with
Gen. Lee. We then proceeded on our
way to the westward. We had gone
probably about mile when we came
upon two bluecoats (stragglers), whom
we disarned and Gen. Hill said to me:
Jenkins, You take these prisoners
to Gen. Lees headquarters"
/ immediately started back with the
hut hod than
half mile when I encountered squad
of II to Is armed infantrymen near
a peach orchard, west of the Venable
House. l at once dismissed my prison.
ers, and falling fiat on my horses
back. ran the gauntlet
These men had crossed the road,
gone north, and were returning. When
they saw me they commenced firing
and as they were not more than 200
yards away 1 made the run thru the
peach orchard under this fire and at
the east end of the orchard I got out
of their range, as / went down an in
cline which hid me from the firing
squad. Then 1 proceeded on my way
to Lees headquarters and when /
got there Serg't Tucker had just ar
rived with the Generals horse and his
own.
After 1 left Gen. Hill and Serg't
Tucker to take the prisoners back, they
proceeded westward and came to
skirt of timber. where they came upon
bluecoat standing by a tree and
ordered him to surrender. He set his
gun down by the tree, then suddenly
grabbed his gun and fired at Gen. Hill,
the ball passing thru his left hand and
his body, killing him instantly. With
his left hand he was holding his bride
rein. The Generals body was recov-
cred about two hours later, and Moth
ing Of his personal effects had been
disturbed. AS / was a bunkmate and
messmate of Serg't Tucker he told
me all about it when we were together
again, and I have always understood
it this way-that there was but one
man when Gen Hill was shot. and no
one else with the General but Serg't
Tucker.
Col. Venable was not with Gen. Hill
when we started from Gen. Lees head
quarters. Gen. HIPS death caused
wave of great sorrow all thru the army.
So far as I remember, Serg't Tucker
and myself were the only two persons
who accompanied Gen. Hill from his
headquarters that morning from the
Widow knights home.-W. H. Jenkins,
Ladoga, Ind.