hat I must grant you a
hostile meeting. If the first interpretation be correct, I
will state that I will make full, public, and ample
concessions when satisfied that I did you injustice; and
this I would do without any demand. I certainly thought
that you had taken the field too late, and that you left it
too early. You may, however, have done your whole duty, and
held your ground as long as it was possible for a brave and
skillful officer to hold it. If the facts prove this to be
so, no one will be more gratified than myself, and my
acknowledgment of error will be cordial and complete.

But if your demand means a challenge, its acceptance, when
we have a country to defend and enemies to fight, would be
highly improper and contrary to the dictates of plain duty,
without reference to higher grounds of action. I will not
make myself a party to a course of conduct forbidden alike
by the plainest principles of duty, and the laws which we
have mutually sworn to serve.

Yours truly,
D. H. HILL, Major General.
BRIGADIER GENERAL ROBERT TOOMBS.

Just what General Toombs replied to this is not known. The letter has
not been preserved in this correspondence. It evidently declared that
the explanation was not satisfactory. Major R. J. Moses, Jr., a member
of General Toombs' staff, submitted in writing the following report of
his recollection of General Hill's words to General Toombs at Malvern
Hill:

Where is your brigade, sir? I told you that I wanted a
fighting brigade, and your brigade will not fight. I knew
it would not, and you are the man who pretends to have been
spoiling for a fight. For shame! Rally your troops! Where
were you when I was riding up and down your line rallying
your troops?

Major Moses adds:

As aid-de-camp of General Robert Toombs, I remained with
him until some time after this conversation. Previous to
this conversation General Toombs had been about fifteen
yards to the rear of the center of his line and his troops
were unbroken. There were many men coming by us, but I saw
not over ten from General Toombs' brigade. The order was
given "Forward, left oblique," and General Toombs moved to
the left of his line. When General Hill met