Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 13.djvu/216

 Official Reports of the Battle of Gettysburg. 215

a piece of shell, seriously wounded. About nine o'clock P. M. of the 2d July I left my position and retired about one mile to the rear. Watered and fed my horses, and returned to the same position about half-past two o'clock the next morning. I remained in this position until after the heavy cannonade of the 3d. I was then ordered by Major Huger to report to you or to General Longstreet, about half a mile to my left. Whilst taking my battery to the place indicated, I was halted by General Lee, and directed not to go into position until I saw you. It was a considerable time before I could find you; the main fighting had ceased when you came to where my battery was. About ten o'clock P. M. we left the field and went into park near the barn used as a hospital. All of my men, non-commissioned and privates, with one or two exceptions, acted well. They re- mained by their guns, though hungry and exceedingly fatigued. On the 5th July we took up our line of march for Hagerstown, Maryland, where we arrived on the 6th and wer.t into encampment. We remained in the neighborhood of Hagerstown several days, rest- ing our men and horses, which they very much needed on account of the long marching and arduous duties they had undergone. On the xoth we left our encampment and were moving over towards the pike leading to Frederick City, when I was ordered to report with my battery to General Kershaw, then holding the enemy in check at Antietam Creek. I did report, and had a position selected for me, but before I had gotten into it, I received further orders to proceed at once to Downsville and rejoin my battery, which I accomplished about ten o'clock P. M., after a tedious march through the dark.

On the nth we had orders to dig pits for our pieces and prepare for action. Again we met with a disappointment. The enemy did not advance. We left our fortifications on the evening of the I3th, and after a very disagreeable march, occupying the whole night, through mud, rain and darkness, we recrossed the Potomac on the morning of the I4th July, 1863. Thus ended our second campaign into Maryland and Pennsylvania.

On the evening of the i6th we went into camp near Bunker Hill. Here we remained several days, recruiting and getting together our scattered forces. On the morning of the 2Oth we again broke camp, and, after four days' travel, we came in sight of Culpeper Court- house, men and horses nearly broken down and exhausted from ex- cessive heat and long marching. We had rain nearly every day from the day we entered the Valley until within the last few days. Our men suffered much in consequence. Their shoes gave out, and