Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 30.djvu/276

 268 Southern Historical Society Papers.

He was then directed by General Johnson to collect his men and withdraw them from the city. This was done. Colonel Peters as- sembled his regiment one and a half miles from Chambersburg.

While there he received a written communication from General McCausland inquiring whether he had understood the order given by the latter, and if so, why it had not been obeyed.

Colonel Peters replied in writing that he had understood the order, but had resolved not to obey it, and had so stated to General John- son.

PLACED UNDER ARREST.

Colonel Peters was at once put under arrest for disobedience, or rather defiance, of the orders of Brigadier-General Johnson, but the arrest was broken the same day, and he was returned to the command of his regiment while covering the retreat of the command when pressed by two brigades of Federal Cavalry.

It is proper to state that in this affair General McCausland was acting under orders received from General Early.

White, in his History of General Robert E. Lee, alluded to the foregoing incident, and is also recited in John William Jones' His- tory of the United States,

During the retreat from the invasion of Pennsylvania referred to McCausland's command reached Moorefield, in Hardy county, and encamped there on the 6th of August.

MAN OF IRON RESOLUTION.

The Confederate Military History says:

'The lines were made, the camps pitched, and the pickets posted according to the orders of Brigadier-General McCausland, the com- manding officer of the expedition, Brigadier-General Johnson obey- ing his orders. Next morning before day Averill surprised John- son's picket on the Romney road, captured the reserve, then rode over the camps of the two Maryland Battalions. Johnson just es- caped capture, and endeavored to rally his brigade. But the sur- prise was too nerve shattering.

"The Twenty-first Virginia, Colonel William E. Peters command- ing, was the only regiment that could be held in hand. Peters was a man of iron resolution and imperturbable courage. He could not be shaken; earthquakes, tornadoes, electiric storms could not move him. He would have stopped and asked: ' What next,' if the earth were opening beneath him and the mountains falling on him.