f our
cavalry, whose whereabouts since crossing the Potomac had not even been
known by General Lee, was due the ignorance as to the location of the
Federals, causing loss of time and the employment of other troops to do
what the cavalry should have done. It is generally conceded that until
they found themselves face to face the commander of neither army
expected or desired this locality to be the battleground. And when we
consider the fact that armies have been known to maneuver for weeks for
a vantage ground on which to give battle, we can realize the importance
of this seeming accident, which sealed the doom of the Confederacy. For
if the whole State of Pennsylvania had been gone over, it is probable
that no other place could have been found which afforded such advantages
as did this to the Northern army.

Early's division had passed it several days before on his way to York,
and Pettigrew's brigade of Hill's corps on July 1, while approaching in
search of shoes for his men, encountered Buford's Federal cavalry,
precipitating the first day's conflict, in which Hill's corps, Rodes's
and Early's divisions captured 5,000 prisoners and drove the Federals
through the town to the heights beyond. Our battalion of artillery, soon
after dark, passed southward through the outskirts of the town with
Early's division and bivouacked for the night. By dawn of the following
day (July 2) sufficient of the Federal army had arrived to occupy and
fortify the heights. From where our battery was posted, a mile east of
the town, we had in full view the end of Cemetery Hill, with an arched
gateway for an entrance. To the left of it and joined by a depressed
ridge was Culp's Hill, steep and rugged as a mountain, all now held and
fortified by the enemy. Jackson's old division, now commanded by Gen.
Ed. Johnson, having arrived late in the night, formed at the base of
Culp's Hill, and before an hour of daylight had elapsed had stirred up a
hornets' nest in their front.

I must mention an incident that occurred during this forenoon quite
interesting to myself. As we were standing by our guns, not yet having
fired a shot, General Ewell and his staff came riding by, and
Lieut.-Col. Sandy Pendleton, his adjutant, rode out from among them and
handed me two letters. To receive two letters in the army at any time
was an event, but here, away in the enemy's country, in the face of
their frowning guns, for them to have come so far and then be delivered