The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-11-10


guns were sent and distributed them
along 50 es to cover my entire trent;
ana thus prepared. waited with conf
dence the impenling attack.
my line OF baAtle extended along
a slight eminsnce fringsA with woods
in my front plain sloped gently down
to a dense wood. IN which masses OF
the enemy were then concentrating
The distance from my Tine to ehe cage
of this wood was eight or nine nun
dred yards, and over this plain. COW
cred with . iow brush not So0esen&fy
high to hide q man. the enemy would
be forced 70 advance. exposed TO ths
fun fire OF infantry an1 arfMiefy
felt satisfied that ] could aofS sne -
sitSOn and thn4 the enemy woaso DC re-
pulsed I did not cisae my eyes the
entire night: ~Alked DIP ana down my
line. watching AnS wsAtfnS.
About o'clock . courier came
with . dAspatch, purporting TO % from
General lee. ordering my guns 20 oe
removsA 20 another part OF the neao
was greatly surprised on recesVine
this order and 1T arst felt very Dvch
d,sposed to disobey IT, but seeing no
reason to doubt It's genuinenee ! Al
lowed the guns to be taken A~ay.
Mot long after this. n soon -
there vas sufncient light 10 penetrau
the gloom, I saw the enemy coming cut
OF the wood end forming their line pre-
paratory to making their advance; -
soon as this vas assured. I sent sHv-
erAl oouriers urxine that the guns be
Instantly returned as the enemy were
n,ovfne In great force to the attack.
And % the advance osmmenced.
~ never saw said johnson. IN al
ms experiences in war. such an orper.
tunity to kin Yankees these we're hss
very words They did not come In any
regular line Of battle. but IN masses:
the whole plain was blue With them.
and 4. had had my guns could eAve
sHept them from the face Of the earth.
But the guns we're gone ] seaii AsSee
that when they came within range q
my muskets. / eould drive them back
with thai arm alone. But there has
been q drixzling rain falling Ill night
and. 70 my hitter chagrsn. ene guns
wouia not - OF but snap. snA1. every
where along the whole ane TeS
1900 snAesd. sometines 20 e6 In the
air when the men took them down from
taeir shoulder. And 80. esfffese 20 re.
late. my entire line was Snn over. my
MySston captured withsnt being ahse 70
tnAfc4 any loss upon the enemy. the
rune wtacA had been taken away from
me coming MP In . gal1o1. Just In time
20 be captured without Affng . ain8.e
shot This was General JS0asons
exact statement TO me. oSen COM
mented upon with tears OF Inunite
Installation and regret.
II a net conceivable that Gensfea
1ohoson. q man Of the highest eneI.
acter. \ solder OF undoubted inteeus
ana upblemished reputation. could hese
MADE 70 IN, his fellow omcerH. n -
guiet and menetonsus rontine
100 life an entirely false statement
csneerning an AFFAIR In when ne
self was the principal actor.
He had no reason for doing SO. ne
could not possibly have imaGined mat
snch nnisstatement ~ this would oe
~sxac "a the public. and that years
after the close of the war, long AFTER
Johnson himself was in his grave.
IT IL beyond the possibility of DOUBT
that Johusoa's aecount. given - seers
a time after the Occurrences 81 tne
facts narrated, must Of necessity %
the truth-the whole truth and nothing
but the truth And all statements 10
the contrary, coming from whomsoever
thew may, must be considered ~ en-
tfreiy unauthorized and without any
foundation whatever.
ana very much Obliged to.you for your
kind Invitation and win gladly avai'
myself Of 1t II possible: VIII be very
much pleased to talk over these mat
tiers with you. in &he hope that ioyal
S,utherner and eminent lawyer IKE
yourself will aid in lifting from the
name aud fame Of distinguishes Con-
-
nest unfair stigma. caused by \ cruel
misstAtcment Of alleged fact.
I am NEST cordially yours.
w F. RANDOLPH.