TWO DAYS OF BATTLE AT SEVEN PINES.

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allowed to go over to that road and find out the state of affairs there. Itendered his services in this matter to General Johnston.

In my official report it is stated:

“ Between 4 and 5 o’clock a note was received [by General JolinstonJ from General Long-street, stating that he had attacked and beaten the enemy after several hours’ severe fighting;that he had been disappointed in not receiving assistance upon his left; and, although it wasnow nearly too late, that an attack, by the Nine-mile road, upon the right flank and rear of theenemy would probably enable him to drive them into the Chickahominy before night.”

All of the foregoing quotations from my report were omitted from thecopy that was put on file, in compliance with General Johnston’s request,contained in his letter to me, June 28th,

1862, in which he said :

“ I inclose herewith the three first sheets ofyour report, to ask a modification — or omission,rather. They contain two subjects which I neverintended to make generally known, and which Ihave mentioned to no one but yourself, and men-tioned to you as I have been in the habit of doingeverything of interest in the military way. I referto the mention of the misunderstanding betweenLongstreet and myself in regard to the directionof his division, and that of his note to me, re-ceived about 4 o’clock, complaining of my slow-ness, which note I showed you. As it seems tome that both of these matters concern Longstreetand myself alone, I have no hesitation in askingyou to strike them out of your report, as they inno manner concern your operations. I receivedinformation of L.’s misunderstanding (which maybe my fault, as I told you at the time) while histroops were moving to the Williamsburg road,and sent to L. to send three brigades by the Nine-miles road, if they had not marched so far asto make the change involve a serious loss of time; this, after telling you of the misunderstand-ing. Your march from General Semmes’s headquarters [he means the advance made by thedivision under Whiting, from the point where it was halted, near Old Tavern.— G. W. S.]was not in consequence of the letter from L. Whiting [Major] had gone at my request,with your permission, to ascertain the state of things with Longstreet. Just before 4 o’clockwe heard musketry for the first time, and Whiting [General] was ordered to advance. Justthen Major W. rode up and reported from L., and a moment after the note was brought me —which, after reading it, I showed to you. ”

In his official report General Johnston says that General Longstreetreceived verbal instructions, and that the division of General Longstreet wasto support the attack made by D. H. Hill’s division. General Longstreet, inhis official report, makes no mention of the preliminary movements of hisown division, except that he was obliged to send three of his small bri-gades on the Charles City road to support the brigade of Huger’s division,which had been ordered to protect his (Longstreet’s) right flank. Indefi-nite as these reports are in reference to the direction in which Longstreet’sdivision was to move, it may, on the preceding evidence, be now considered

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MAJOR-GENERAL DARIUS N. COUCH.FROM A PHOTOGRAPH.