The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1911-01-21

had preceded him and two tents hau
been erected, one with cot upon
which the General was TO rest, and
the other a clerks tent and dining
saloon combined. Gen. Lee asked
me If had any rations. | rather
hesitated to tell him. and not walt
ing for reply he told us, me ana
Jesse. to tie our horses and get a
feed for them from his quarter
master and go into his tent and
get something to eat and then lie
down and rest, in hearing, for he
might need me before morning. Il
think this must have been three
O'Clock "A. m. sunday. We accept
ed this invitation TO supper and wen
into his tent and got a couple OF
very bad biscuits and cup OF very
inferior coffee, without sugar
could see Gen. Lee then in his tent
living down. So Jesse and ! pro-
ceded to make our bed under a c.
dar hard by.I think | got into Il
dose. am sure lost consciousness
for the nonce When | heard my
name called Il was after daybreak.
went Immediately to Gen. Lee s
tent. He met me at the entrance
with a dispatch in a yellow envelope
unsealed and directed TO Gen. Wade
Hampton He then asked me II !
was acquainted with the roads ana
country from that point TO the Car
oliae poor house. replied that /
was familiar with the country. lie
then said tht the enemy are
there and have possession
OF the country around there
and that Gen. Hampton and posi-
bly, some other generals are in the
but he could not tell
me exactly where | could lind Gen.
Hampton. He asked me the IL
lance from where We were 10 that
point and told him that IL was
about four miles. He seemed sur
Drised and said that he thought
that IL was much farther He gave
NE the dispatch and told me 10
take II at once TO Gen. Hampton
and not to let the enemy take me,
for they were all about the coGn-
try: 70 destroy the dispatch II l
saw that would be taken. but I'M
der no circumsta to lct the
enemy know where he was; TO take
the dispatch and to show n 10
any general. cavalry or infantry,
that | might see on the road. and
to bring him reply from Gen.hamp-
ton: that he would be on the road
TO Hanover Junction. / started
With this dispatch and as soon as
I vas out of sight OF Gen. Lee open
ed il and read it, II was as TO-
lows: Gen. Hampton will hold the
enemy in check. falling back grad
ually: the troops will mostly be on
the south side OF the North Anna
By this evening" | proceeded and
arrived at the nesghborhood near
the poor house at Madison Grove.
About sunrise. before getting up
10 the forks Of the Bowling Green
and Carmel Church road. | saw Gen.
bearings cavalry brigade. gave
him the dispatch to read and ne
old me that Gen. Hampton was at
Athens on the Carmel road. i then
saw a Col. Wright. command
ng temporarily a cavalry brigade
showed him the dispatch. At that
ime our own advance pickets and
|, skirmish line of the enemy were
having quite a little fusilade and
he balls flew thick and fast
through the woods about us.
then met Gen. COrse with his In
antry brigade in a double quick
.bout to attack Hancock's en-
ire corps. | showed him General
.ee's dispatch and he Immediately
rave the command about face and
louble quicked IL the other way. /
hen went to Athens and found Gen.
hampton mounted and about to
move 10 the front | gave him the
Iispatch and asked him If he had
me in return. He took the dis
latch which / gave him and wrote
t the bottom the hour 1t was re-
eived by him acknowledging receipt
nd signed it. / then left on the
Dad to Carmel Church on the way
o find Gen. Lee. Passed right by
nv mothers residence and told her
hat the enemy would be there GER
ainly on the next day. | gave her
ONE directions and advice and
he gave me something TO eat,
nth benedictions | departed.
At Carmel Church | found that
he troops had all passed, so / con-
inued my journey to Hanover juno
ion, and reaching there about ii
r ~ o'clock. There saw among
many tents and wagons Gen. Lees
ent. a wall tent with the walls
urned up and Gen. Lee and some
Their gentlemen, who seemed to be
Williams, we're in the tent, and they
eemed to be very intently looking
yer a large map, which was spread
N a table. ] went up to Col. ray
Or, who was standing a little way
II. and handed him the dispatch
had from Gen. Hampton, and Col.
'aylor told me to go right into the
ent where Gen. Lee was and hand
i'm the dispatch, that it was Gen.
,ee's orders that when dis
,atch was sent him the courier who
,ore the dispatch >should put 1t
Iimself in Gen. Lees hands
The men in the tent looking al
he map with Gen. Lee were Presi-
efferson Davis, Gen. John c. Brock
nridge and Secretary OF War, Mr..
eddon. was told who they were
efore went into the tent. On
Ding In Gen. Lee turned and
landed him the dispatch, which he
.ad given me that morning Tor
zen. Hampton and which he had
receiving 1t is need
ess to say that even then ] though
he ground upon which | was
tandlng was holy ground. ! then
sked Gen. Lee II he had any FUR
her use for me and he told me no
o get three days rations for my
elf and horse and report to Gen.
hampton for duty. | did as d.
ected and reported to Gen. Hamp-
on that same Sunday about an
our be-sun.