COINCIDENCES--LONGSTREET'S SUCCESSOR
Longstreet borne from the field--His letter to Lee from
Lynchburg--Return of General Wadsworth's map to his son--Coincidence
in the wounding of Jackson and Longstreet--General Lee summons
me--Talks of assignment to command of First Corps--He decides on
General Richard H. Anderson.
General Longstreet was first taken to the house of his quartermaster,
Major Taylor, near by, and thence, when he could be moved, to
Lynchburg. From there he wrote to General Lee of this attack on
Hancock's left as conducted by myself, and I trust it may not be
considered out of place to insert that letter here.
General Longstreet's book has caused to be brought forth quite a number
of incidents of the late war which that distinguished Confederate
necessarily passed over briefly in his narrative. In the battle of the
Wilderness, May 6, 1864, Longstreet's corps moved to the support of A.
P. Hill's corps early in the morning and checked the onward movement of
the enemy. In this attack General G. M. Sorrel (then lieutenant-colonel
and chief of staff of General Longstreet), under the orders of his
chief, took Mahone's, Wofford's and G. T. Anderson's brigades, and,
swinging around to the right, the Confederates carried everything
before them. For his gallantry on that occasion, Colonel Sorrel was
made a brigadier-general on the recommendation of General Longstreet,
in the subjoined letter:
LYNCHBURG, VA., May 19, 1864.
GENERAL R. E. LEE, _Commanding, etc._
SIR: The peculiar character of the position occupied by the enemy
in my front on the 6th inst. was such as to render a direct assault
impracticable. After a brief consultation with the commanding general,
a move was agreed upon, turning and attacking the enemy's left
flank. Lieutenant-Colonel Sorrel, my chief of staff, was assigned
to represent me in this flank movement, with instructions as to the
execution of it. The flank attack, made by three brigades, was to be
followed by a corresponding movement of the other brigades of the
command. This attack, made under the supervision of Lieutenant-Colonel
Sorrel, was executed with much skill, promptness, and address, and the
enemy was driven from his position in haste and some confusion.
It occurs to me that this is one of the instances of skill, ability
and gallantry on the battle-field which should commend itself to the
high approval of the Executive.
I, therefore, take great pleasure in recommending Lieutenant-Colonel
Sorrel's promotion to brigadier-general for distinguished conduct on
this occasion. I should have reported this case much earlier and asked
for promotion upon the spot, but that I was struck down by a painful
wound a few moments after the execution of the movement. I am still
unable to write and hence must ask the privilege of signing this by my
aide-de-camp.
I am, General, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
(Signed.)
J. LONGSTREET,
_Lieutenant-General_.
(Signed.)
By T. J. GOREE,
_Aide-de-Camp_.
Hancock said long after to Longstreet, "You rolled me up like a wet
blanket and it was some hours before I could reorganize for battle."
Many years after this great struggle opportunity was given me of
placing with Hon. James Wadsworth, M. C., son of the general, the map
before referred to as taken from his father when he fell. In making
his acknowledgments it was gratifying to learn that nearly all the
other belongings of this gallant officer had gradually, by kindness of
friends, found their way back into the family possessions.
Some coincidences in the fall of Jackson and Longstreet are not without
interest.
On _May 3, 1863_, Lieutenant-General Jackson, great corps commander of
the Army of Northern Virginia, was struck down by the fire of his own
men while executing a successful flank movement in the Wilderness at
the battle of Chancellorsville. On _May 6, 1864_, just one year later,
Lieutenant-General Longstreet, the other great corps commander of the
Army of Northern Virginia, was also struck down by the fire of his own
men while conducting a successful flank movement, and this on almost
the same ground.
While one fell (unhappily mortally wounded) at Chancellorsville and the
other at Wilderness, both names apply to that singular district, and
the two points were not very wide apart.
At sunrise, on the 7th, I was summoned to the Commander-in-Chief and
promptly reported. General Lee received me most kindly and at once
withdrew under a neighboring tree. "I must speak to you, Colonel," he
opened, "about the command of the First Corps." He then in substance
went on to say that the two major-generals of the corps present were
too recent for the command (Pickett does not appear to have been
thought of) and an officer must be assigned. He had three in mind:
Major-Generals Early, Edward Johnson, and Richard H. Anderson, and did
me the honor to invite my opinion. "You have," he said, "been with the
corps since it started as a brigade, and should be able to help me."
At once I saw the need of giving all the assistance possible and that I
must use every care in judgment.
Thanking the General for his unprecedented confidence, I said that
probably Early would be the ablest commander of the three named, but
would also be the most unpopular in our corps. His flings and irritable
disposition had left their marks, and there had been one or two
occasions when some ugly feelings had been aroused while operating in
concert. I feared he would be objectionable to both officers and men.
"And now, Colonel, for my friend Ed. Johnson; he is a splendid fellow."
"All say so, General," was my answer--and I fully believed it--"but he
is quite unknown to the corps. His reputation is so high that perhaps
he would prove all that could be wished, but I think that some one
personally known to the corps would be preferred."
This brought the commander to Gen. Richard H. Anderson, and I was led
to say, without presuming to criticize him or point out his merits or
demerits (there are probably plenty of both), "We _know him_ and shall
be satisfied with him." He was long a brigadier with us, tried and
experienced; then a major-general until withdrawn to make up the Third
Corps.
"Thank you, Colonel," said General Lee. "I have been interested, but
Early would make a fine corps commander." Being dismissed, I hastened
back to camp, full of thoughts as to who was to command us. It looked
from the General's closing words as if it would be Early (I am sure
he preferred him), but no, Anderson was the man. Later, the same day,
came the order assigning chivalrous, deliberate "Dick" Anderson to the
command of the First Army Corps and it was not very long before he was
made lieutenant-general.