Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 38.djvu/328

314 A man lying upon the ground at the foot of a tree arose into a sitting position and said, "Here is General Pickett; from whom do you come?" I replied, "Longstreet." One of his staff struck a match, and the General read the dispatches which I had brought, and said to the staff officer, "We must move at once into line and lead the movement." There was not ten minutes' time consumed in this movement. Pickett and staff were mounted and we all rode off together, the men following silently in a steady tramp behind. I had been in the saddle from early morning till then, except the thirty minutes referred to. It was about 1 o'clock A. M. at night. It was about 4 o'clock when I turned my old jaded horse into clover field, dropped his rein upon the ground, lay down in a fence corner, and a few minutes was sound asleep. I waked up about 6 o'clock by the tramp of the soldiers going by. I hurried into a long trot until I had overtaken General Pickett, told him of the road in front of him, and as he was instructed to halt near Cashtown I forced my horse and found General Longstreet in a wheat field about 8 A. M. awaiting the coming of the troops, some of whom were passing into position on the battle line. I begged a morsel of food from one of the couriers; my horse ate the heads of wheat.

In the afternoon about 2 o'clock General Barksdale's brigade of Mississippians having taken position, General Wofford, of Georgia, with his brigade of Georgians, filing in on Barksdale's right, and a South Carolina Brigade passing very near to General Lee, Longstreet and Hood getting into position upon Wofford's right, while the Alabama (Law's) Brigade was being put into position on facing Round Top, and upon the South Carolinians' right; this was our extreme right. I was sitting on my horse within hearing of Generals Lee, Longstreet and Hood. There were some others (I don't remember who) nearby. General Lee was standing upon the ground; an orderly was holding his gray nearby; all others were in their saddles. General Hood said to General Lee: "My scouts report to me that there is a wagon road around Round Top, at its foot, which has been used by farmers in getting out timber, over which I can move troops. I believe I can take one of my brigades, go around this mountain and simultaneously attack from the flank or rear, with the men in