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 linll at' Olil hnnniunii I >rhto\vn road, then at 3 or 4 o'clock of July 1st Karly would have found tin- Federal rorp^ holding a strong po.sition across his road with fully three times his numbers, and no help nearer than four or five miles. This would ha\e brought on battle at a late hour in the evening when too late to defeat and drive the enemy from their position. All honor is due General Heth and hi> noble division for pressing the enemy and enabling Rodes and Fender and Early to secure a severely-fought battle. The cause of surprise was want of cavalry but the cause of battle was that the Federal corps commander had seized the ridge north and west of Gettysburg, which blocked the road by which the Confederate corps of Hill and Ewell were converging on Cashtown. Why need we look any further for causes. It sufficeth that the same All-wise Ruler of events that permitted Ashby and "Stone- wall" Jackson to be shot in front and perhaps by their own men, and afterwards permitted J. E. B. Stuart to fall after victory by the seeming accidental shot of a Federal trooper, who was fleeing from our lines; the same Ruler permitted the otherwise invincible Army of Northern Virginia and its beloved general to suffer a repulse at ( iettysburg.

Respectfully,

JAQUELIN MARSHALL MEREDITH, Chaplain of ^th Virginia Infantry, Hctli" s Division,

A. P. HiWs Corps, A. N. Va., C. S.

\Vide Water, Va., March 31, 1896.

[From the Richmond Dispatch. May 24, iS<)6.]

OLD DOMINION DRAGOONS.

The fluster-Roll of this Hampton Organization.

The following is the roll of the Old Dominion Dragoons, of Hampton, Va., Company B, 3d Regiment of Virginia Cavalry, under their original organization:

Captain J. C. Phillips, promoted to colonel of I3th Regiment of Virginia Cavalry.

First Lieutenant W. R. Vaughan, promoted to surgeon, dead. Second Lieutenant Gill A. Gary, dead.