o
Ewell to follow us up; but Ewell, in the exercise of his discretion
as a corps commander, did not do so. He had lost 3,000 men, and
both he and Hill were under orders not to bring on a general
engagement. In fact they had had all the fighting they desired
for the time being. Colonel Campbell Brown, of Ewell's staff,
states that the latter was preparing to move forward against the
height, when a false report induced him to send Gordon's brigade
to reinforce Smith's brigade on his extreme left, to meet a supposed
Union advance in that direction.

The absence of these two brigades decided him to wait for the
arrival of Johnson's division before taking further action. When
the latter came up, Slocum and Sickles were on the ground, and the
opportunity for a successful attack had passed.

In sending Hancock forward with such ample powers, Meade virtually
appointed him commander-in-chief for the time being, for he was
authorized to say where we would fight, and when, and how. In the
present instance, in accordance with his recommendation, orders
were immediately sent out for the army to concentrate on Cemetery
Ridge. Two-thirds of the Third Corps, and all of the Twelfth came
up, and by six o'clock the position became tolerably secure.
Stannard's Second Vermont brigade also arrived, and as they formed
part of my command, reported to me for duty; a very welcome
reinforcement to my shattered division. Sickles had taken the
responsibility of joining us without orders, knowing that we were
hard pressed. His command prolonged the line of the First Corps
to the left. Slocum's Corps--the Twelfth--was posted, as a reserve,
also on the left.

Hancock now relinquished the command of the field to Slocum and
rode back to Taneytown to confer with Meade and explain his reasons
for choosing the battle-field.

Longstreet's corps soon arrived and joined Ewell and Hill; so that
the whole rebel army was ready to act against us the next morning,
with the exception of Pickett's division.

At the close of the day General John Newton rode up and took charge
of the First Corps by order of General Meade, and I resumed the
command of my division. Several incidents occurred during the
severe struggle of the first day which are worthy of record.

Colonel Wheelock of the 97th New York was cut off during the retreat
of Robinson's division, and took refuge in a house. A rebel
lieutenant entered and called upon him to surrender his sword