James H. Lane Papers, RG 501
FF 97: Jas. A. Englehard to Lane, re: Generals
Early & Mahone Controversy
(May 1871)
[Letterhead] Office of The Journal
Wilmington N.C., May 20th, 1871
Genl. J.H. Lane
Richmond
Dear Sir:
I am
recently in receipt of a letter from Genl. Wilcox, who in connection with
General Early, intends to correct some errors contained in "The Military
Memoir of William Mahone," just published in the Historical Magazine,
under Mahones sanction, it is said.
Genl. Wilcox asks me - in regard to the attack made by you and Mahone in
front of the Lines on 12th May at Spottsylvania C.H., which movement the memoir
gives the credit to Mahone for its Conception and Execution - the former was
due to Genl Lee and the latter to you - "if you did not hear it asserted
by Lane or some of his brigade that Mahone's men fired into his (Lanes)
brigade, and if this fact can be proved; also, if you heard that a certain flag
that Girardy [rode] along the lines with [waving], was taken by Girardy from
one of Lane's men, who was taking it to the rear, his having captured it"
I
have heard you and others repeatedly confirm one or both of these statements,
but I was not an eye witness - can you establish one or both? I recollect that you gave a very amuseing
account of the capture of a flag on that occasion by one of your men.
I
will be glad for you to furnish me with all the information in your power [few]
[are] his men ought not to be permitted to appropriate all the glory and honor
of our battles. The result of the war
has left us little beside the proud recollection of having done our Duty
faithfully, and [we should] not let others rob us of this.
I
hope you are succeeding in Richmond.
With much regard
Very truly
Jas. A. Englehard
Transcribed
by Terri Stout-Stevens of Pfafftown, NC, on March 27, 2001. Edited by
Martin T. Olliff, Assistant
Archivist, Auburn University, who takes responsibility for any errors.
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