Source http://irishamericancivilwar.wordpress. ... -cleburne/
The Death of Major-General Patrick Cleburne
The rest of the article can be found at the webpage above.
In the early afternoon of 30th November 1864 Brigadier-General Daniel C. Govan stood with his Division Commander Major-General Patrick Cleburne on Winstead Hill, Tennessee. As they prepared their troops for an attack on the fortified Federal positions around the town of Franklin, Govan looked out across the exposed plain over which the Army of Tennessee must advance. Their prospects of success looked bleak. Govan was the last to speak to Cleburne prior to the assault, remarking to him: ‘Well General, there will not be many of us that will get back to Arkansas.’ Cleburne, who Govan felt appeared despondent, replied: ‘Well Govan, if we are to die, let us die like men’ (1). While Govan did survive to see Arkansas once again, by day’s end, in the words of his former Adjutant Captain Irving A. Buck, ‘the inspiring voice of Cleburne was already hushed in death’ (2).
BG Elkin
AotT