about noon--he is positive it was later than
twelve m.--to take position with the troops on the left of the battery.
He states that the first shot was not fired until sometime after his
recall, and he is sure it was not earlier than two o'clock.[13]

When Stuart left Gettysburg, as he says about noon, he took with him
Chambliss's and Jenkins's brigades of cavalry and Griffin's battery.
Hampton and FitZhugh Lee were to follow; also Breathed's and McGregor's
batteries, as soon as the latter had replenished their ammunition
chests. Stuart moved two and a half miles out on the York turnpike, when
he turned to the right by a country road that runs southeasterly past
the Stallsmith farm. (This road intersects the Low Dutch road, about
three-fourths of a mile from where the latter crosses the Hanover pike.)
Turning off from this road to the right, Stuart posted the brigades of
Jenkins and Chambliss and Griffin's battery on the commanding Cress's
ridge, beyond Rummel's and more than a mile from the position occupied
by Custer. This movement was noticed by Major Weber, who with his
detachment of the Sixth Michigan cavalry, was stationed in the woods
northeast of Rummel's, where he could look out on the open country
beyond, and he promptly reported the fact to Custer.

The first shot that was fired came from near the wood beyond Rummel's.
According to Major McClellan, who was assistant adjutant general on
Stuart's staff, this was from a section of Griffin's Battery, and was
aimed by Stuart himself, he not knowing whether there was anything in
his front or not. Several shots were fired in this way.

Major McClellan is doubtless right in this, that these shots were fired
as feelers; but it is inconceivable that Stuart was totally unaware of
the presence of any federal force in his immediate front; that he did
not know that there was stationed on the opposite ridge a brigade of
cavalry and a battery. Gregg had been there the day before, and Stuart
at least must have suspected, if he did not know, that he would find him
there again. It is probable that he fired the shots in the hope of
drawing out and developing the force he knew was there, to ascertain how
formidable it might be, and how great the obstacle in the way of his
farther progress toward the rear of the union lines.

The information he sought was quickly furnished.

It was then that Custer put Pennington's battery in position, and the
three sections of rifled cannon o