what had happened. At the recital as we rode along towards the spot where I left the General lying, Colonel Pendleton fainted. He asked us to hold on a moment and dismounted, but as soon as his feet touched the ground he fell over fainting. The ambulance came up and we hurried it on to the front. Dr. McGuire dismounted and gave Colonel Pendleton some whiskey, and we then rode on and reached the General just as he was put into the ambulance. During the interval while I was gone for Dr. McGuire, Lieutenant Smith and Captain Leigh were left with General Jackson, and I suppose their account of what occurred in this interval is correctly given by Dr. Dabney, to whom each of them sent an account. I will state that when General Hill offered General Jackson whiskey, as soon as or about the time Dr. Barr came up, he at first refused it, or hesitated; but when I told him it was absolutely necessary for him and would revive and sustain him until we could get him safely back to the rear, he then very reluctantly drank a little. As he saw that it revived him, he asked for it himself after falling from the litter, as he felt faint again. He fell on the wounded side, which caused his wound to bleed freely.
As soon as the ambulance left with him, I was ordered by Colonel Pendleton, after he had consulted with General Rodes, to go to General Lee as quickly as possible, communicate to him the intelligence, explain our position and what had been accomplished, inform him of who had taken command, and ask him to come to that flank. I started at once, reaching General Lee before day, and remaining with him by his orders, and hence I did not see General Jackson again until he was being put into the ambulance to go to Guinea station, which was the last time I saw him.
You will find a correct account of my interview with General Lee in Dabney's Life of Jackson, pages 701 and 702, given as I furnished it, except that I was accompanied by Wynn, instead of Captain Hotchkiss—though Captain H. did reach General Lee about an hour or two after I had made my report. When he arrived and began to tell General Lee of the wounding of General Jackson, General Lee checked him, saying, "I know all about it, and do not wish to hear any more—it is too painful a subject," or something to that effect. When I told General Lee about it, he made me sit by him on his bed, while he raised up, resting on his elbow, and he was very much affected by the news. When I told him that the wounding was by our own troops, he seemed ready to burst into tears, and gave a moan. After a short silence he said, "ah! Captain, don't let us say anything more about it, it is too painful to talk about," and seemed to give way to grief. It was the saddest night I ever passed in my life; and when I saw this great man so much moved, and look as if he could weep, my cup of sadness was filled to overflowing. I got up and walked out of his tent, or rather from under his blanket, or something of the sort stretched over him for a shelter—I think it was an oil-cloth blanket. Colonel Taylor then called me to him, and the rest of the staff gathered around to hear the sad tidings, and I don't think there
