Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 24.djvu/352

 'U4 Southern Historical Society Papers.

woods, some distance to our right, and I ordered Lieutenant Jack- son to warn them off by some shots. At sunset a courier was sent from headquarters ordering me to leave Mechanicsburg after dark and fall back to Carlisle. There we met Jenkins' Brigade, and Captain Moorman rejoined his company and took charge of it. The entire command continued then to march to Petersburg, Pa., where we arrived about 2 o'clock in the morning. We encamped there, but expecting an attack, our horses were held saddled and our arms ready to hand.

July ist. At daybreak we were again in the saddle and on the road to Gettysburg. During the forenoon we heard heavy cannon- ading from that direction, and soon we learned that the two hostile armies had met unexpectedly. The Federal troops were finally de- feated, but the loss on both sides was heavy, and that of the Union army the most severe. General Reynolds, the commanding general, was among the dead, and thousands of prisoners were taken by our victorious troops.

July 2d. In the morning we advanced into the valley between Seminary Ridge and the mountain range held by the Union army. Jenkins' Brigade was posted in a piece of woodland, part of yester- day's battlefield, in sight of the seminary and the city of Gettysburg. Both armies had been reinforced and concentrated during the night. General Stuart, with the main force of our cavalry, was not at hand, and for want of cavalry the defeated Federals had not been pressed, and still held and fortified the eminence, above Gettysburg, controll- ing the valley. Our forces were in possession of the town. We were wondering at the silence prevalent, only in long intervals the report of a gun was heard. General Jenkins resolved to reconnoitre, and I was of his companions. Arrived on top of a hill our party attracted the enemy's attention, and we were fired upon. A shell exploded among us, wounding the General and his horse. The hours dragged on wearily, until in the afternoon twenty-seven Con- federate batteries opened fire on the enemy's lines. The Federal artillery replied at once, and soon the rattling noise of the fire of small arms joined in the terrible accord of battle. Several infantry regiments en route for the bloody field passed by our position, and I was struck by the composure and determination the men displayed. The contest lasted until 9 in the evening, but scanty reports came to us respecting the course of the battle. At 9 o'clock our brigade was ordered back some miles towards Petersburg. Hungry and fatigued, I slept while in the saddle, but suddenly awoke, hearing