Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 37.djvu/334

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326
Southern Historical Society Papers.

From Richmond, Va., Times-Dispatch, February 19, 1905.

FIRST DAY ON LEFT AT GETTYSBURG.


General Early's Advice An Oft-Repeated Incident
Corroborated by a Witness Who Was There.


Major JAMES McDOWELL CARRINGTON Tells a Thrilling
Story of Thrilling Deeds.


The article below is from the excellent pen of Major James McDowell Carrington, who in the battle of Gettysburg was captain of the Charlottesville Artillery, and is now a distinguished lawyer of Washington city. The Major's statements confirm the close presence of General Early and Ewell on the field the first day at Gettysburg, and gives evidence as to one of the occasions upon which General Early advised an assault on Cemetery Hill that afternoon. Colonel Harry Gilmore, of Maryland, in his book, "Four Years in the Saddle," tells almost identically the same story as Major Carrington.

John G. Williams, Esq., a respected lawyer of high standing at Orange Courthouse, writes to the same effect on this topic, and I myself, was a personal witness of the fact, which I recall as if it were yesterday, of the message sent in my presence by General Early to General A. P. Hill before he met General Ewell, telling him that in his opinion assault should not be delayed, and that if General Hill would put in his corps, he, Early, would take the responsibility of joining the assault without waiting. The witnesses on this subject are so numerous and so reliable and General Early's own repeated testimony found in his book and in his historical papers which have been published, make the fact as plain as any fact about the war that Early was close upon the field in troops and both advised and urged an immediate assault. The account given by General Gordon in his book of this day's operations is erroneous when it refers to General Early, and it contains many errors which I suppose later to show with the proofs thereof. The time at