Ordinarily he was one of the most genial and accommodating of men; but when sick and vexed, as plainly he was when he made that report, he could dash off just such a jumble, and send it in to head quarters before the ink was dry.
It is due to him to say that he was run over and kicked in the bowels by Col. Beal’s horse just at the moment Col. Beal himself was wounded; and when, but for the untimely kick, “Jim” might have led us on to victory and covered himself with glory.
II. In Col. Jacob Higgins’ (125th Penn.) report we have—
“Previous to this Gen. Mansfield fell, some of my men carrying him off the field on their muskets until a blanket was procured.” (Page 492, Vol. XIX.)
It cannot be determined from the report, exactly when or where “this” was; but it was plainly early in the morning and before the 125th entered West Wood, where (and not in East Wood) they fought.
This report annoyed me much when I first saw it in 1887, but Col. Higgins has written to me that he knows nothing personally of the event but reported it because officers whom he trusted assured him it was so.
III. Col. Knipe, (46 Penn.) who made the brigade report, simply mentions that Mansfield was wounded.
IV. In Gen. Crawford’s report we read:
“Gen. Mansfield, the corps commander, had been mortally wounded, and was borne past my position to the rear.” (Page 485, Vol. XIX, Part I.)
This “position” is not defined further than to state that it was “Miller’s” woods, or “East woods,” as we now call them.