Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 38.djvu/222

208 General Ewell left Heidlesburg with these instructions on the morning of July 1st, and before reaching Middletown (four miles distant from Heidlesburg) he received notice from General Hill that he was advancing upon Gettysburg, changed the direction of Rodes' column towards Gettysburg, sent word to Early to advance to that place, and notified General Lee that he was going to the support of General Hill.

That General Lee expected Ewell and Hill to ascertain what force the enemy had at Gettysburg is clearly indicated by his reply as quoted by General Ewell, "that in case we found the enemy's force very large, he did not want a general engagement brought on until the rest of the army came up."

General Ewell says that by the time this message reached him, the enemy were rapidly advancing to attack him, and it was too late to avoid an engagement without abandoning his position. He therefore determined to attack vigorously.

By referring to the accompanying map it will be seen that General Ewell acted wisely, for with General Heth's division repulsed, and Early advancing from Heidlesburg, if Rodes' division, which was between them on the road from Heidlesburg, had been withdrawn or driven back, Early's division would have been in jeopardy.

General Lee must have been on the held at this time, for General Heth says General Rodes was heavily engaged when he first asked General Lee's permission to renew his attack, and got this reply: "No; I am not prepared to bring on a general engagement to-day. Longstreet' is not up," and it was shortly after this that, as General Heth says, General Lee gave him permission to attack.

Captain Stockton Heth says that it was about 12 or 1 o'clock that General Heth's division became engaged with General Reynolds' corps, and that it was about one and a half hours later that he went for an ambulance to carry his brother off the field, and General Lee spoke to him, General Ewell and General Hill being with him. Captain Heth also says that as he passed, returning, General Pender's division rushed forward with a rebel yell, and this would seem to fix the time of Pender's charge at 12 130 P. M., which is consistent with other evidence. Yet