Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 37.djvu/115

Rh distant at Carlisle, and Carlisle is about the same distance from Chambersburg, it is probable that Ewell sent orders to Early immediately on receipt of the first letter from General Lee, written the night previous to the 28th. On receipt of General Lee's letters, Ewell, who was about to set out for Harrisburg, having sent forward his engineer to reconnoitre the defenses of that place, recalled his scattered divisions and turned his immense trains to the rear. The latter moved in a continuous stream towards Chambersburg, passing through that place the greater part of the night of the 29th. Johnson's division accomcompanied these and moved to Green Village, about seven miles from Chambersburg, whence it turned east on the 30th and marched via Scotland towards Gettysburg. The other two divisions of Swell's countermarch, and Rodes moved, on the 30th, almost due south, about twenty miles to Heidlersburg, nine miles northeast of Gettysburg; and Early moved almost due west to a point three miles distant from Rodes on the road leading to Berlin.

In view of the order to Ewell to return to Chambersburg, and the subsequent order "to proceed to Cashtown or Gettysburg as circumstances might dictate," it is a little surprising to find in A. P. Hill's official report, after stating that his corps on the 29th was encamped on the road from Chambersburg to Gettysburg, that he proceeds to say, "I was directed to move on this road, in the direction of York, and to cross the Susquehanna, menacing the communications of Harrisburg with Philadelphia, and to co-operate with General Ewell, acting as circumstances might require," without any mention of change of plan, or the reception of orders other than those originally given. His report proceeds, "accordingly on the 29th I moved General Heth's division to Cashtown, some eight miles from Gettysburg, following on the morning of the 30th with the division of General Pender, and directing General Anderson to move in the same direction on the morning of July 1st. On arriving at Cashtown, General Heth, who had sent forward Pettigrew's brigade to Gettysburg, reported that Pettigrew had encountered the enemy at Gettysburg, (principally cavalry) but in what force he could not determine. A courier was then dispatched with this