that I did not know. He then said that a large portion of the army of Manassas must have been present at the battle of Shiloh. Upon my assuring him that none of it was there he wished to know where "under heaven" our troops that were in the battle of Shiloh had been drilled, remarking that the attack on Sunday, the 6th, was most brilliantly planned and splendidly executed and that we came near gaining a complete victory. He was exceedingly severe in his remarks upon many Ohio and Iowa regiments, remarking to me that he supposed we considered them the greatest cowards in the world.

He spoke in the highest terms of our officers and said that our Government had made its appointments much more discreetly than his. He asked me how far it was to Corinth. I told him I did not know. He said that they would be down in a few days and ought to have been there before this. I told him I thought his delay a wise one as if he came he would certainly have to travel the road twice and that it was improving daily.

During the whole conversation I was treated pleasantly and courteously. A Virginia, captain of artillery (Federal), Terrill by name, expressed a desire to see General Bragg to get his opinion as to how his battery was served during the recent fight. He also wished to send two bottles of brandy by me to General Hardee whom he knew at West Point, but which I refused to take. General McCook expressed surprise as to why General Beauregard had addressed his dispatches to General Buell instead of General Grant, saying that General Grant was in command.

About a half hour after the messenger had been sent to General Buell he returned. I was then informed by General McCook that General Buell was absent from his headquarters just then but that an answer would be sent to our lines under a flag of truce that evening or the next morning. I was then dimissed and rode away. General McCook said that during the recent fight our army was so well supplied with ambulances and assistants that nearly all removed by ourselves. He learned the purport of the dispatches I brought from Doctor Rumbaugh and told me he did not doubt that an exchange of wounded prisoners would be agreed to, but that they had sent almost all our wounded to Saint Louis or Paducah or Cincinnati to be better cared for.

I remember nothing else that is of enough moment to relate. The Federal surgeon returned to our lines with me. I reported to Colonel Marrast upon my return who immediately began dispatches to General Bragg, detailing me to bring them. Meanwhile information was brought that a flag of truce from the enemy was at our lines and Lieutenant Reese, First Regiment Alabama Cavalry, was sent to receive it. He came back and in my presence reported the following which Colonel Smith and Colonel Marrast instructed me to communicate verbally to General Bragg: He said that he found the flag to protect a Federal surgeon and another officer, having with them an ambulance of medical stores for our wounded at the Mickey Hospital. He was refused admission upon the ground that we had enough of our own.

After they had gone one of our pickets told him that before he came and while the other picket had been sent in the officer under the flag endeavored to induce him to desert, pointing out the difference between his clothing and that of the escort. The picket replied with proper spirit and indignation. These last facts are given as I heard them. I was then ordered to bring dispatches immediately from Colonel Marrast to General Bragg and arrived at his headquarters about 11 last

54 R R - SERIES II, VOL III