nsylvania.

On the second day Heth's division was not engaged, but occupied the
ground near that on which it had fought the day before, close by the
seminary in which General Lee had his headquarters. In the afternoon
while Longstreet's corps was furiously fighting to wrest Little Round
Top from the enemy, he came unattended to where I was standing. Looking
down the valley of Plum Run, which separated the armies, there could be
seen the flashing of the guns under the pall of smoke that covered the
combatants. Now and then making a slight change of position he viewed
the scene through his field-glass. His noble face was not lit up with a
smile as it was when I saw it after the victory at Chancellorsville, but
bore the expression of painful anxiety. Ah, if only his men could seize
and hold that coveted elevation! It was the key to the situation, and
victory would have been assured. But that battle was lost, although the
divisions of Longstreet performed prodigies of valor. Then and there the
issue was decided.

That night Heth's division moved farther to the right. Being directed by
Colonel Brockenbrough to ride ahead and pick out a place for his
brigade, I went forward in the darkness, ignorant of the lay of the
land, until the command to halt was given to me in an undertone. I did
not see the man, but was informed that I was just about to ride through
the line of Confederate skirmishers, and was cautioned to ride back as
quietly as I could, because the Yankee skirmishers were not far in
front.

On the morning of the 3d of July, although Ewell's corps on the left
had waged a bloody but unsuccessful battle, not a shot was fired by
Hill's corps in the center, nor by Longstreet's on the right; but the
final struggle was yet to be made. More than a hundred cannon were
placed in position, along the line of which lay the eighteen thousand
men, who had been selected to make the assault upon Cemetery Ridge.
Before the firing began Colonel Brockenbrough told me that when the
cannonading should cease we should make the charge.

About one o'clock the guns opened, and for two dreadful hours pounded
the adversary's position, being answered by almost as many of his guns.
There has never been such a war of artillery on the American continent.
Surely this was an exhibition of the "Pride, pomp, and circumstance of
glorious War." It was hoped that so terrible a bombardment would
demoralize the enemy and thus prepare the way for a succ