founded with it—and hence the mistake made by others and followed by myself.

(2). On page 115, I have said, "Pettigrew's aud Trimble's men had brokon before the tornado of canister in their front, and had disappeared." For this observation what seemed ample authority was before me, for not only was it sustained by the current histories, but it had been officially recorded in General Longstreet's report, wherein he says: "The enemy's batteries soon opened upon our lines with canister, and the left seemed to stagger under it, but the advance was resumed and with some degree of steadiness. Pickett's troops did not appear to be checked by the batteries, and only halted to deliver a fire when close under musket range. Major-General Anderson's division was ordered forward to support and assist the wavering columns of Pettigrew and Timble. Pickett's troops, after delivering fire, advanced to the charge and entered the enemy's lines, capturing some of his batteries and gained his works. About the same moment the troops that had before hesitated, broke their ranks and fell back in great disorder, many more falling under the enemy's fire in retreating than whilst they were attacking. In a few moments the enemy, marching against both flanks and the front of Pickett's division, overpowered it and drove it back, capturing about half of those of it who were not killed or wounded."

This official document I quote thus fully that it may be seen how well my statement seemed to be verified. But General Trimble shows, in the letter already referred to, that his men are not properly included amongst those who failed to give Pickett. full support; and it affords ne great pleasure here to rectify an error, which-while it could not shadow the reputation of that gallant veteran, known to be "without fear and without reproach" has been too long received as historic, and does injustice to his command. General Trimble states that his men did not leave the field until ordered, and I take leave to quote a passage from his letter, that full justice may be done them. "My men," says he, "were the last to leave the field. This I know, as I rode in the line between the brigades from the start down to the Emmettsburg road," &c. And after some details, he adds: "Thus I aver positively that my command continued the assault after Pickett's men had been repulsed and dispersed-not that we fought longer or better, but because as a second line, and having farther to advance, we did not reach the enemy quite as soon as the troops on our right, and I knew it would be fool-hardy to continue the combat with two brigades alone."

(3.) On page 115, it is said: "Now it happened that Wilcox did not close in to Pickett's right, thus leaving a gap open on his

flank." This has been the generally accepted version of the affair, and will be found stated in Mr. Swinton's work, entitled "Decisive Battles of the War," pages 344-347; in Mr. Bates' minute history of the battle, page 158, where it is said: "Wilcox, instead of moving to the left with Pickett, kept straight on, leaving Pickett's right uncovered, and open to a flank attack"; and in many other works and sketches, which have fallen under my eye, purporting to be historical. And it consisted with the statement of General Longstreet's official report, that "the enemy, marching against both flanks and the front of Pickett's division, overpowered it." Of course, if the right flank had been protected, this could not have been done. But I have recently understood that General Wilcox does not concur in the above account, which I adopted upon the authorities referred to; and I regret that I have not been able to get, in time for this publication, his views in detail. No reflection was made or intended upon him; and it is to be hoped that he and others who directed or saw the movements during this stage of the battle, will make clear what they really were.

I conclude with the request that any one who may notice any error in my statements, will be kind enough to call my attention to it.

J. W. D.]

After the address of Major Daniel, Lieutenant-Colonel Heros Von Borcke, late of General Stuart's staff, now of the Prussian army, and Major I. Scheibert, of the Royal Prussian Engineers, were elected members of the Association.

Rev. J. William Jones was requested to prepare a roster of the Army of Northern Virginia.

The following officers were elected for the ensuing year:

President-General W. H. F. LEE.

Vice-Prisidents-General Robert Ransom, General Harry Heth, General A. L. Long, General William Terry, Captain D. B. McCorkle.

Treasurer-Major Robert Stiles.

Secretaries-Sergeants George L. Christian and Leroy S.

Edwards.

Executive Committee-General B. T. Johnson, Colonel Thomas H. Carter, Major T. A. Brander, Major Walter K. Martin, Private Carlton McCarthy.

THE BANQUET.

The Association and their invited guests then repaired to Monticello Hall, where a sumptuous banquet was spread, and most effective speeches were made by Ex-Governor John Letcher, Ex-Governor (General) William Smith, General W. H. F. Lee, General W. H. Payne, General Fitz. Lee, Major Robert Stiles, General B. T. Johnson, Colonel H. E. Peyton, Dr. Thom, Captain Thomas Whitehead, Captain H. R. Garden, General J. A. Walker, General Early, Major J. W. Daniel and others.

The unveiling of the Jackson statue the day before had attracted a large crowd of old Confederates, and the public meeting and the banquet were, therefore, both splendid successes.

SIXTH ANNUAL REUNION.

On the evening of November 2d, 1876, the Hall of the House of Delegates, State Capitol at Richmond, was packed to its utmost capacity with a brilliant audiance.

In the absence of the President, General Harry Heth, VicePresident, presided over the meeting.

Rev. Dr. J. William Jones opened the exercises with prayer. General Heth appropriately introduced as orator of the evening Captain W. Gordon McCabe, of Petersburg, who had served so gallantly as private in the Richmond Howitzers and Adjutant of the lamented Colonel Willie Pegram, the heroic "boy artillerist."

Captain McCabe was received with deafening applause, and held his audiance spell bound to the close of his splendid address.

ADDRESS OF CAPTAIN W. GORDON MCCABE.

Comrades of the Army of Northern Virginia-I am here in obedience to your orders and give you a soldier's greeting.

It has fallen to me, at your behest, to attempt the story of a defence* more masterly in happy reaches of generalship than that of Sebastopol, and not less memorable than that of Zaragoza in a constancy which rose superior to accumulating disaster, and a stern valor ever reckoned highest by the enemy.

It is a great task, not do I take shame to myself that I am not equal to it, for, speaking soberly, it is a story so fraught with true though mournful glory-a story so high and noble in its persistent lesson of how great things may be wrested by human skill and valor from the malice of Fortune-that even a Thucydides or a Napier might suffer his nervous pencil to droop, lost, perchance, in wonder at the surprising issues which genius, with matchless spring, extorted time and again from cruel odds, or stirred too deeply for utterance by that which ever kindles the hearts of brave men-the spectacle of human endurance meeting with unshaken front the very stroke of Fate.

And if intensity of sorrowful admiration might not unnaturally paralyze the hand of the historian, who should undertake

*From a strictly military point of view, the term "siege" cannot properly be applied to the operations around Petersburg, for there was lacking what, according to Vauban, "is the first requisite in a siege-perfect investment." The same is true of Sebastopol.

to transmit to posterity a truthful record of the unequal contest, what mortal among men could stand forth undismayed, when bidden to trace even the outlines of the story in presence of the survivors of that incomparable army, the followers of that matchless leader-veterans, to whom it has been given to see its every episode emblazoned in crimson letters by the very God of Battles.

And yet it is because of this presence that I stand here not unwillingly to-night-for when I look down upon these bronzed and bearded faces, I cannot but remember that we have shared together the rough delights, the toils, the dangers of field of battle, and march and bivouac, and feel sure of indulgence in advance from those who are knit to even the humblest comrade by a companionship born of common devotion to that Cause which is yet "strong with the strength" of Truth, and "immortal with the immortality" of Right-born of such common devotion, nurtured in the fire of battle, strengthened and sanctified by a common reverence for the valiant souls who have fallen on sleep.

It is not mine, comrades, to dazzle you with the tricks of rhetoric, nor charm your ear with smoothly flowing periods; but even were such mastery given to me, it would scarce befit my theme-for we have now to trace the history of the army to which we belonged, not in its full blaze of triumph, as when it wrote Richmond and Chancellorsville upon its standards, but in those last eventful days when its strength was well-nigh "too slender to support the weight of victory"; we have now to mark the conduct of its leader, not as when, the favored child of Mars, the clangor of his trumpets from the heights of Fredericksburg haughtily challenged the admiration of astonished nations, but in that severer glory which shines round about him as he stands at bay, girt with a handful of devoted soldiery, staying the arm of Fate with an incredible vigor of action and a consummate mastery of his art, and, still unsubdued in mind, delivers his last battle as fiercely as his first.

And in the prosecution of the task confided to me-in my attempts to reconcile the conflicting testimony of eye-witnesses, in sifting hostile reports, and in testing by official data. the statements of writers who have essayed the story of this final campaign-although at times it has seemed well-nigh a hopeless labor, and more than once recalled the scene in Sterne's inimitable masterpiece, in which Mr. Shandy, taking My Uncle Toby kindly by the hand, cries out, "Believe me, dear brother Toby, these military operations of yours are far above your strength," yet, remembering the spirited reply of My Uncle