The inference was thus a natural one that General Hill was to blame, but that officer has proved clearly that he had nothing to do with the affair.

He received but one copy of the order, which was handed to him by General Jackson in person, and, knowing its great importance, he placed it in his pocket-book, and still retains it in his possession.

This fact is conclusive, since General Hill could not have "lost" what he continues to hold in his hands.

This mystery will be cleared up at some time, probably; at present, but one thing is certain, that General Hill was in no manner to blame.

The present writer desires to make this statement as explicit as possible, as, in other accounts of these transactions, he was led by General McClellan's language to attribute blame to General Hill where he deserved none.] Whatever may have been the secret history of the "lost dispatch," however, it certainly fell into General McClellan's hands, and largely directed the subsequent movements of the opposing armies.
From what is here written, it will be seen that Lee was not justly chargeable with the result of the Maryland campaign.