GEORGE A. CUSTER (IN 1864)]

The result of the day at Hanover was that Stuart was driven still
farther away from a junction with Lee. He was obliged to turn to the
east, making a wide detour by the way of Jefferson and Dover Kilpatrick,
meanwhile, maintaining his threatening attitude on the inside of the
circle which the redoubtable confederate was traversing, and forcing the
latter to swing clear around to the north as far as Carlisle, where he
received the first reliable information as to the whereabouts of Lee. It
was the evening of July 2, when he finally reached the main army. The
battle then had been going on for two days, and the issue was still in
doubt. During that day (2) both Stuart and Kilpatrick were hastening to
rejoin their respective armies, it having been decided that the great
battle would be fought out around Gettysburg. Gregg's division had been
guarding the right flank of Meade's army, but at nightfall it was
withdrawn to a position on the Baltimore pike near the reserve
artillery.

Kilpatrick reached the inside of the union lines, in the vicinity of
Gettysburg, late in the afternoon, at about the same hour that Hampton,
with Stuart's leading brigade, arrived at Hunterstown, a few miles
northeast of Gettysburg. It was about five o'clock in the afternoon when
the Third division, moving in column of fours, was halted temporarily,
awaiting orders where to go in, and listening to the artillery firing
close in front, when a staff officer rode rapidly along the column,
crying out: "Little Mac is in command and we are whipping them." It was
a futile attempt to evoke enthusiasm and conjure victory with the magic
of McClellan's name. There was scarcely a faint attempt to cheer. There
was no longer any potency in a name.

Soon thereafter, receiving orders to move out on the road to
Abbottstown, Kilpatrick started in that direction, Custer's brigade
leading, with the Sixth Michigan in advance. When nearing the village of
Hunterstown, on a road flanked by fences, the advance encountered a
heavy force of confederate cavalry. A mounted line was formed across the
road, while there were dismounted skirmishers behind the fences on
either side. The leading squadron of the Sixth, led by Captain H.E.
Thompson, boldly charged down the road, and at the same time, three
troops were dismounted and deployed on the ridge to the right,
Pennington's battery going into position in their rear. The mounted
charge was a most g