Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 08.djvu/245

Rh cautioned to expect friends both in front, to the right and to the left—Lieutenant-General Longstreet, Major-General Rodes and Major-General Johnson respectively having been assigned to these relative positions. But after the delivery of a second and third volley, the flashing of the musketry disclosed the still advancing line to be one of enemies.

I then gave the order to fire; the enemy was checked for a time, but discovering another line moving up in the rear of this one, and still another force in rear of that, and being beyond the reach of support, I gave the order to retire to the stone wall at the foot of the hill, which was quietly and orderly effected. From this position I subsequently fell back to a fence some seventy-five yards distant from the wall and awaited the further movements of the enemy; only contemplating, however, to effect an orderly and controlled retreat before a force which I was convinced I could not hope to withstand, at all events where I then was. I was on the point of retreating to a better position, when Captain Campbell, the Brigade Quartermaster, informed me that Brigadier-General Gordon was coming to my support.

I immediately dispatched an officer to hasten General Gordon with all possible speed. But this officer returning without seeing General Gordon, I went back myself, and finding General Gordon occupying the precise position in the field occupied by me when I received the order to charge the enemy on Cemetery hill, and not advancing, I concluded that any assistance from him would be too late, and my only course was to withdraw my command. I therefore moved my brigade by the right flank leading it around the hill so as to escape the observation of the enemy, and conduct it to the right of my original position, then occupied, as above stated, by General Gordon's brigade. This was about ten o'clock. I remained in this position for the night. About daybreak in the morning I received an order from Major-General Early to withdraw my command from its position, and to occupy that street in the city which I had held during the 1st July. I continued to remain here that day (the 3d), and until early in the morning of the 4th July, when I was ordered by Major-General Early out of the city to a range of hills on the west.

Here I put my brigade in line of battle, the division line being on the left of Major-General Rodes. In this position I remained with my command until two o'clock on the morning of the 5th July, when the line of march was taken towards Hagerstown,