Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 07.djvu/75

Rh taken. She replied that from what she had heard of the way the Federal troops treated our people she thought we had a right to take without asking. I told her that, without discussing that question, it was sufficient to say that General Lee had forbidden us to plunder. She then said that she gave her permission for us to take anything we wanted, and at my request she went herself and gave her vegetables away. I had her name in a little memorandum book, where I jotted down daily occurrences, but it has passed away from my memory.

While in camp I heard that General Ewell was in Carlisle and York, and had gone, or portions of his command had, towards Harrisburg, and had marched where he pleased without opposition.

On the 30th June my command was put in march towards Gettysburg, and camped, I think, at or near Greencastle, receiving orders to march the next day.

We had heard the day before or heard it here that Ewell's corps had been ordered to return to the main command, because General Lee had been informed that the Federal army had crossed the Potomac, and was marching northward. And before moving, on the first, I received orders to follow in rear of Johnson's division of Ewell's corps, which had been detached from the corps to conduct Ewell's trains west of the mountains, while the rest of the corps came by the shortest route to General Lee's headquarters.

Accordingly I had my division ranged alongside of the road to Gettysburg by eight o'clock on the 1st of July, in the order of march, and had not been long in place before Johnson's division appeared. After it had passed I went to Major Fairfax, of General Longstreet's staff, and asked if I should follow the troops or wait until Ewell's train had passed. Fairfax rode to General Longstreet to find out, and shortly returned with directions to wait until the train had passed. As the train appeared to be a very long one I had its rate of travel timed as it passed over a known distance, and computed its length to be over fourteen miles.

At any rate it was not until after four o'clock that it had passed, and I then took up the line of march to the front. About five o'clock, as we rose the hills between our camp of the morning and Gettysburg, we heard distinctly the sound of cannon, and a cheer went from the column, while the men quickened their pace to the music of the guns. The march was continued, and about ten P. M. I met General Longstreet in the road, and he informed me there had been an engagement; General Heth was wounded; the enemy