to that point, they having been compelled to stop about half way up the mountain on account of the roads, and, I having no means of bringing in the arms but by the prisoners themselves, I requested Major Johnston for these reason to bring his men to Huntsville, to which he agreed, and I so stated to Colonel Horner, and requested him (as I had no guard but my staff) to furnish me a rear guard of ten or fifteen men, which he kindly did, and saying that he would move into Huntsville with the balance of his command, and immediately started, and after the few minutes speaking before mentioned and the playing be each of the bands of one pieces I moved the column forward for Huntsville, and upon arriving at the foot of the mountain was surprised when an orderly told me that Colonel Horner was awaiting my arrival and desired the bands to be sent in advance of his column. I know of no reason why Colonel Horner halted there. I sent the bands forward as he requested, and both columns moved forward on a directed road until Colonel Horner arrived at a road at right angles with the one we were then on and leading directly to his camp, which he took with his column for the purpose, as I then supposed, of going into his camp, which was then in full sight. I moved directly forward on the main road with the view of reaching the arsenal by the shortest and best route. After having passed the road taken by Colonel Horner an orderly from him reported to me that Colonel Horner desired the rear to follow him past General Granger's headquarters, which being out of my road I replied, "Give my compliments to Colonel Horner and say to him that I am going directly to the arsenal to deposit the surrendered arms, and that General Granger is in Decatur, and I do not propose to have these prisoners reviewed by his orderlies."

In a few moments Colonel Horner turned the head of his column to the left and moved obliquely toward the street leading turned to the right he brought the head of his column a little in advance of the head of mine within a short distance of the arsenal and upon the same street, and requested me to let the cavalry pass, which I did, and he moved forward to the public square, and I stopped at the arsenal and delivered the arms to the ordnance officer, had the prisoners quartered in unoccupied rooms furnished by the quartermaster, and at my instance the commissary issued them one ration. I took the officers to my own quarters and gave them the best supper my mess would afford, and proceeded with the making out of proper rolls and papers until 10 o'clock that night and renewed our labors at 7 o'clock the next morning and completed them by 10 a. m. I had no blanks. Shortly after which the prisoners left Huntsville for their homes, having all the time demeaned themselves peaceably and with propriety. Any statement contradicting this is untrue. As to Major Leeson's complaint, wherein he says that "my (his) treatment was so much below the courtesy due at all, for until I received his report I did not know of his presence on the occasion, nor did I know of his presence he would have had no cause to complain of discourtesy, as he surely had none for making the report which he has.

Here allow me to say that a number of citizens of Huntsville, claiming to be loyal, together with a number of officers of the U. S. Army, voluntarily accompanied the flag of truce to the place of surrender, but all were sober and orderly, so far as I observed, except one, who I discovered to be intoxicated and disposed to be noisy, I rebuked him