ll fell into the
hands of the Confederates, except the one thrown so near the enemy's
works, and in time we regained that also.

* * * * *

CAPTAIN LAKE A PRISONER.

Before the fighting was over the Yankee officer who could curse a
prisoner so gallantly ordered two soldiers to take charge and carry me
to their lines, no doubt believing that the Confederates would succeed
in recapturing the "Crater." We had to cross a plain five hundred and
ten feet wide that was being raked by rifle balls, cannon shot and
shell, grape and canister. It was not a very inviting place to go, but
still not a great deal worse than Haskell's mortar shells that were
raining in the center. I had the pleasure of seeing one of my guards
die. The other conducted me safely to General Patrick's headquarters.
Patrick was the Yankee provost marshall.

When I was placed under guard near his quarters he sent a staff
officer to the front to learn the result of the battle.

After a short absence he galloped up to General Patrick and yelled out
"We have whipped them!"

Patrick said: "I want no foolishness, sir!"

The staff officer then said: "General, if you want the truth, they
have whipped us like hell."

* * * * *

CHAPTER XXXIV

Leaves the Trenches in the Shenandoah Valley.

To relieve the tension that oppressed both Richmond and Petersburg,
General Lee determined to dispatch a force to the Valley to drive the
enemy therefrom, to guard against a flank movement around the north
and west of Richmond, and to threaten Washington with an invasion of
the North. The Second Corps of the army was ordered Northwest. General
Ewell being too enfeebled by age and wounds, had been relieved of his
command in the field and placed in the command of Henrico County.
This embraced Richmond and its defensive, the inner lines, which were
guarded and manned by reserves and State troops. General Early, now
a lieutenant General, was placed in command of the expedition. Why
or what the particular reason a corps commander was thus placed in
command of a department and a separate army, when there were full
Generals occupying inferior positions, was never known. Unless we take
it that Early was a Virginian, better informed on the typography of
the country, and being better acquainted with her leading citizens,
that he would find in them greater aid and assistance than would a
stranger. The department