Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 24.djvu/354

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Hampton and William H. F. Lee, our centre, and Jenkins' Brigade formed the right wing. My company was ordered to the extreme right on the slope of a hill. Our opponents poured a rain of bullets and shells on us, but were forced slowly to fall back. We lost heavily Lieutenant Allan, of our regiment was killed at my side. In the evening, General Hampton charged upon the Union cavalry, they could not withstand his attack, their line broke, and they fell back. It was a day of triumph for the Confederate cavalry, but unfortunate for the main force of our army, ended this third day of the battle. The roar of cannon, and the rattling volleys of infantry fire had told us that desperate fighting was carried on along the entire line. The results and details of the struggle were not, however, positively known to us when we moved back towards Hunterstown and en- camped on fields and meadows.

July 4th. At daybreak I was ordered to take charge of all mem- bers of the regiment, whose horses were not in marching condition and needed shoeing. There were about forty men to follow me and we started to find the field forges, but in vain. We were sent from place to place, and at last I was told that they had been ordered to join the wagon train on the Chambersburg road, and move to the rear. This was the first information I received of the retrogade movement of our army. I resolved then to try Gettysburg, and passing the house where our wounded general was quartered, I en- quired about his health, and also if Gettysburg was still in our hands. The general's adjutant laughed at my doubt, and we rode on. We repassed the first day's battlefield and ascending the road to the city, we suddenly saw a large column of Blue-Coats before us. We were only about 100 yards apart, and I commanded to halt. Ob- serving another large body of Federal infantry coming down hill on our left, I ordered my men to turn back. Coming to the foot of the hill, I met Adjutant Fitzhugh on his way to Gettysburg. He doubted our observation and I offered him our escort. When we came to the brow of the road from where the lines of the Federals could be plainly seen we halted. They had not advanced, evidently not knowing what to make of our approach, but a gun was fired on us from the top of the hill above the city, and we all turned again. The adjutant hastened to remove our general to some place of safety. Following the road to Petersburg, we met General Stuart and his staff. He enquired where we came from, and if the Yankees were moving on, and upon my report, he turned off towards Cashtown. There was no escort to protect him, but he declined to have ours,