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to lead Cu mm ings' a brigade on the left of our line. In this charge, so highly spoken of by the general commanding, the day was won. No truer man, or more gallant officer than General Henderson ever buckled on sword in defence of the Lost Cause, and 'tis a pleasure for me to speak of his gallant conduct on the field of battle.
Just before his death, in this city, at the residence of his son-in- law, Mr. L. J. Hill, I called on him, accompanied by Colonel W. L. Calhoun. In talking over the events of the war, he said to us: " Calhoun, you and Thomas must keep my army record correct," and we promised to do so, and shook his hand for the last time. With others, we accompanied his remains to Covington, Ga., shortly afterward, where they now rest.
WHAT THE WAR RECORDS SHOW.
This is what the war records show of this last charge of the war in the West, made by Colonel Henderson, Series i, Volume 47, page 1057: In the report of General J. E. Johnston to General R. E. Lee, speaking of our combined attack on the Seventeenth corps, he said Lieutenant Hardee, dispatched to that point with the reserves, met it in front with Cummings's (Georgia) brigade the only infantry up while cavalry, directed by Lieutenant-General Hampton and Major-General Wheeler, was thrown upon its flanks, and by com- bined attacks this corps was promptly driven back. In this engage- ment Cummings's brigade, under Colonel Henderson, and the Eighth Texas cavalry, distinguished themselves. In the latter General Har- dee's son, a very promising youth of sixteen, fell mortally wounded, when gallantly charging in the front rank.
Finding during the night that Schofield had reached Goldsboro, and that Sherman was moving towards Cox's brigade, and that all our wounded who could bear transportation had been removed, we moved to the neighborhood of Smithfield Station. General Johnston says further in same report: " We took about 15,000 men into action on the i gth the enemy's force numbering above 20,000, and after- wards increased by 10,000 more." Then, he says further on, that on the 2oth and 2ist, the whole army was before us, amounting to nearly 44,000, our losses in the three days' engagements amounted to 224 killed and 1,470 wounded, and several hundred missing. The enemy's loss was far greater than ours. General Johnston also states in conclusion, that the moral effect on our army was greatly im- proved by our success.
