Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 04.djvu/181

Rh and such dispositions were made by General Law on my flanks with the other brigades, that the enemy's pickets soon fell back a mile or more, and his reserve regiments quite to the Gap.

Towards night General Law informed me that he would soon move the other three brigades of the division over to the Chester Gap road and stay there during the night, and at the same time ordered me to remain with my brigade and the Fourth Alabama regiment until relieved by Lieutenant-General A. P. Hill, and then to follow the division and overtake it as soon as possible. He stated that General Hill was to relieve me during the night, or, at farthest, by daybreak. So I remained, but it was 9 o'clock A. M. before I was relieved.

I then started to overtake the division. When I reached the Chester Gap road I found it filled with the rear of General Hill's long wagon train, the rest of that train and all of his troops having already passed. To get by these wagons and the artillery in the mountain road was a work of no small difficulty. It was near night before I could do it. I succeeded, however, in passing them, and the corps which had bivouacked near Flint Hill, and, with my brigade, bivouacked two miles this side of Flint Hill.

At daylight next day the march was resumed. I halted for an hour or more at Gaines' Crossroads (which is two miles this side of my camp of the night before) to wait for the 15th Alabama regiment (Colonel Gates), which was holding the Mountain road until General Hill's corps should come up and relieve it. That regiment having joined me, the march was resumed—General Hill's corps being close behind me.

When near Newby's Crossroads, two men of the cavalry, coming from the one of those roads which leads to Amissville, dashed up to me and told me that as they were going over towards Amissville to get their horses shod they had met a squad of Yankee cavalry coming from the opposite direction.

Colonel Gates immediately proposed to take his regiment, which was in front, and go forward and make a reconnoissance. I accepted his services, and he advanced beyond the crossing of the roads. Very soon his skirmishers were engaged with those of the enemy. After some time, as I heard and saw nothing but skirmishing, I concluded to move on, General Hill sending me word that he would relieve Colonel Oates and let him follow me. After moving on less