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“We must now return to Virginia . As many of our poor wounded aspossible must be taken borne. I have sent for you, because your men andhorses are fresh and in good condition, to guard and conduct our train backto Virginia . The duty will be arduous, responsible, and dangerous, for Iam afraid you will be harassed by the enemy’s cavalry. Iiow many menhave you ? ”
“ About 2100 effective present, and all well mounted, including McClana-han’s six-gun battery of horse artillery.”
“ I can spare you as much artillery as you require,” he said, “ but no othertroops, as I shall need all I have to return safely by a different and shorterroute than yours. The batteries are generally short of ammunition, but youwill probably meet a supply I have ordered from Winchester to Williamsport .Nearly all the transportation and the care of all the wounded will be Intrustedto you. You will recross the mountain by the Chambersburg road, and thenproceed to Williamsport by any route you deem best, and without a halt tillyou reach the river. Rest there long enough to feed your animals; then fordthe river, and do not halt again till you reach Winchester, where I willagain communicate with you.”
After a good deal of conversation about roads, and the best disposition of myforces to cover and protect the vast train, he directed that the chiefs of his staffdepartments should be waked up to receive, in my presence, his orders to col-lect as early next day as possible all the wagons and ambulances which I wasto convoy, and have them in readiness for me to take command of them.His medical director [ Dr. Lafayette Guild] was charged to see that all thewounded who could bear the rough journey should be placed in the emptywagons and ambulances. He then remarked to me that his general instructionswould be sent to me in writing the following morning. As I was about leav-ing to return to my camp, as late, I think, as 2 a. m., he came out of his tentto where I was about to mount, and said in an undertone: “ I will place inyour hands by a staff-officer, to-morrow morning, a sealed package for Presi-dent Davis, which yon will retain in your possession till you are across thePotomac, when you will detail a reliable commissioned officer to take it toRichmond with all possible dispatch and deliver it into the President’s ownhands. And I impress it on you that, whatever happens, tins package mustnot fall into the hands of the enemy. If unfortunately you should becaptured, destroy it at the first opportunity.”
On the morning of July 4th my written instructions, and a large officialenvelope addressed to President Davis, were handed to me by a staff-officer.
It was apparent by 9 o’clock that the wagons, ambulances, and woundedcould not be collected and made ready to move till late in the afternoon.General Lee sent to me eight Napoleon guns of the famous Washington Artil-lery of New Orleans , under the immediate command of Major Eshleman, one ofthe best artillery officers in the army, a four-gun battery under Captain Tan-ner, and a Whitworth under Lieutenant Pegram. Hampton’s cavalry brigade,then under command of Colonel P. M. B. Young, with Captain James F. Hart’sfour-gun battery of horse artillery, was ordered to cover tho rear of all trains