make
such a gross blunder?

In his official report Cox states that at two o'clock the enemy came into
full view and he reported that fact and the position of the two brigades
in front of his breastworks to Schofield and received his orders with
reference to holding the position; but he does not state what those orders
were. Cox made that report and received those orders in a personal
conference with Schofield when they must have fully discussed the
situation, and Cox's peculiar statement in this connection seems to carry
a covert threat, as if he had said to Schofield, "If you attempt to hold
me responsible for the blunder I will tell what those orders of yours
were."

In a written account furnished me by Captain Whitesides, Wagner's
assistant adjutant-general, he states that about half past two o'clock
Wagner ordered him to see Colonel Lane and find out what was going on in
his front. From his position on the pike at the gap in the breastworks
Wagner could see for himself Stewart's corps forming in Conrad's front, as
already described, but his view of Lane's front was obstructed by the
large number of trees and by the inequalities of the ground on the west
side of the pike. Colonel Lane told Whitesides that Hood was forming his
army in battle order and that without any doubt it was his intention to
attack in force; that the position occupied by the two brigades was
faulty, being without any support on either flank, and unless they were
withdrawn they would be run over by the enemy or compelled to fall back to
the breastworks under fire. On reporting Lane's statement to Wagner,
Whitesides was directed to find General Stanley, the corps commander, and
tell him what Lane had said. He found Stanley with Schofield at the house
of Doctor Cliffe in the central part of the town, where they could see
nothing of what was going on in front, and reported to them as stated
above. He then returned to Wagner who, so far as he knew, received no
further orders.

The report of Cox and the statement of Whitesides indicate that both Cox
and Wagner believed that Hood intended to attack but that neither of them
would take the responsibility, with Schofield in easy communication, of
withdrawing the two brigades without his sanction from the position to
which they had been assigned by his order. They reported to him the
situation and then waited, and waited in vain, for him to take action.

In a personal interview Doctor Cliffe told me t