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but none of them had much part in the fight; none of them had any part in first breaking the line.
I give the above detail for the benefit of General Toombs, as I have understood that the credit of retaking Sharpsburg was perhaps claimed for General A. P. Hill.
Toombs is the man, however.
Jones's division (I think it was) was driven from Sharpsburg.
The plan was conceived by Toombs, acting on his own views in the manner aforesaid with the troops aforesaid.1 Troup, his aid, he sent to General Lee for artillery.
Troup found Lee just after Jones had found him and had reported to him the loss of Sharpsburg.
Troup said to General Lee that if General Toombs had some artillery he thought he could drive them back quite across the creek.
‘What!’
said General Jones, ‘haven't the enemy got Sharpsburg?’
‘No,’ said Troup, they had it, but have been driven out, and we have it. Then General Lee said, ‘tell General Toombs to take any guns he can find, and use them as he thinks best,’—he and General Jones evidently highly elated.
Troup told me these facts himself.
Of course I give the substance only of the conversation.
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1 See report of Colonel Corse of Seventeenth Virginia of his capture and recapture.
Richmond, VA. 1888.
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