corps. On
Monday the reconnoissance had developed the presence of the enemy still
investing our position. But on the night of Monday, 29th, Lee first
learned with surprise of the dangerous proximity of Gen. Hooker,
threatening his communications, and resolved to concentrate his now
somewhat scattered army eastward of the South Mountains. Accordingly
Ewell must have moved off from our front the same night, or early on
Tuesday morning, since he re-appears upon the scene on Wednesday
afternoon at Gettysburg, where he arrived between one and two o'clock,
P.M.--just in time to check, with the aid of other reinforcements, the
advance of General Reynolds and to drive him back with heavy loss.
These reinforcements must all have made forced marches and they could
have been in no condition to follow up the advantage gained. Lee was
doubtless well content to have turned back, with his fatigued
battalions, the rising tide of victory, and _nolens volens_, left
General Howard, who succeeded to the command of the field on the fall
of the lamented Reynolds, at liberty to establish himself unmolested on
the now famous cemetery heights. It is interesting and instructive to
notice further, that this corps of Ewell, whose reported withdrawal
from the investment of Fort Washington was apparently the signal for
our advance, reached Gettysburg, and was there instrumental in
snatching victory from the jaws of defeat, absolutely before our
movement began!

_Thursday, July 2d._--At 3 A.M., we are aroused from sleep by a
whispered summons to get ready to move at once without making the least
noise! This looks like work. The reflection of the fire in front has
disappeared, the cannonading is hushed, and all is still. What does it
mean? A report comes flying through the field that the enemy have
driven back our advance and that these are falling back upon our lines.

We waited under arms, looking as we stood there under the star-light
drawn up over the whole field, like a spectral host. Was there a rebel
ambuscade over yonder in the woods, watching for us to take up our
unsuspecting march toward Carlisle in order to swoop down upon us
unawares? A cowardly suggestion, but still one which occurred very
naturally to raw troops thrust in this way into what, for aught they
knew to the contrary, was the very front of danger. This was the first
feeling; but soon we grew calmer and remembered that even if our
advance had been compelled to fall back, they