Thanks for the additional information. At the time of the surrender General Battle had been home at Tuskegee several months on wounded furlough. He left a Richmond hospital on furlough Dec. 15, 1864, suffering from a wound in his left knee joint. General Battle was paroled at Montgomery AL May 16, 1865.
The senior field officer present at Appomattox was Col. Edwin L. Hobson of the 5th Alabama Regt. If he was in command of the brigade, Capt. Riley would have been in command of the regiment as the only captain present on Apr. 9, 1865. I see no reason for the statement not to be accepted.