234 Southern Historical Society Papers.
and protect that left, to put in first help expected from infantry sup- ports, then to break the troops which came around his flank with the artillery; all had failed. At this moment our left (Pickett's Division) began to crumble and soon all that was left came slowly back, 5.000 in the morning, 1,600 were put in camp that night. 3,400 killed, wounded and missing.
We moved back, and when General Pickett and I were about 300 yards from the position from which the charge had started, General Robert E. Lee, the Peerless, alone, on Traveler, rode up and said: "General Pickett, place your division in rear of this hill, and be ready to repel the advance of the enemy should they follow up their advantage." (I never heard General Lee call them the enemy be- fore; it was always those or these people). General Pickett, with his head on his breast, said: " General Lee, I have no division now, Armistead is down, Garnett is down, and Kemper is mortally wounded.
Then General Lee said: "Come, General Pickett, this has been my fight and upon my shoulders rests the blame. The men and officers of your command have written the name of Virginia as high to-day as it has ever been written before." (Now talk about " Glory enough for one day;" why this was glory enough for one hundred years.)
LEE AND KEMPER.
Then turning to me, General Lee said: "Captain, what officer is that they are bearing off?" I answered, " General Kemper," and General Lee said: " I must speak to him," and moved Traveler to- wards the litter. I moved my horse along with his, but General Pickett did not go with us. The four bearers, seeing it was General Lee, halted, and General Keinper, feeling the halt, opened his eyes. General Lee said: "General Kemper, I hope you are not very se- riously wounded."
General Kemper i.nswered: "I am struck in the groin, and the ball has ranged upwards; they tell me it is mortal;" and General Lee said: " I hope it will not prove so bad as that; is there anything I can do for you, General Kemper? " The answer came, after Gen- eral Kemper had, seemingly with much pain, raised himself on one elbow:
" Yes, General Lee, do full justice to this division for its work to- day."
General Lee bowed his head, and said: " I will."
