Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 07.djvu/205

 over the river. We remained in this position awaiting their crossing for several hours. About 11 o'clock I received orders from General Hill to move Pender's division across the river, following General Anderson's division, and after leaving one brigade of my division in line, to follow up the movement of the corps as speedily as possible.

About fifteen or twenty minutes after receiving these orders and while they were in progress of execution, a small body of cavalry—numbering not more than forty or forty-five men—made their appearance in our front, where the road debouched from the woods, previously described.

I will here remark that when on the road, and some two or three miles from the position I now occupied, a large body of our cavalry passed by my command going to our rear.

When the cavalry alluded to made its appearance, it was at once observed by myself, General Pettigrew and several members of my staff, as well as many others. On emerging from the woods, the party faced about, apparently acting on the defensive. Suddenly facing my position, they galloped up the road and halted some one hundred and seventy-five yards from my line of battle. From their manœuvring, and the smallness of numbers, I concluded it was a party of our own cavalry, pursued by the enemy. In this opinion I was sustained by all present. It was not until I examined them critically with my glasses, at a distance of not more than one hundred and seventy-five yards, that I discovered they were Federal troops. The men had been restrained from firing up to this time by General Pettigrew and myself. The command was now given (orders) to fire. At the same time the Federal officer in command gave the order to charge. The squad passed the intervals separating the epaulements, and fired several shots. In less than three minutes all were killed or captured, save two or three, who are said to have escaped.

General Pettigrew received a wound in one of his hands at Gettysburg, in consequence of which he was unable to manage his horse, which reared and fell with him. It is probable, when in the act of rising from the ground, that he was struck by a pistol ball in the side (left), which, unfortunately for himself and his country, proved mortal.

A soldier of the Seventh Tennessee regiment was at the same time mortally wounded. This was the entire loss of my command from this charge. Thirty-three of the enemy's dead were counted, six prisoners fell into our hands, also a stand of colors.