ground, running his line from Round Top Mountain, on the left, to a peach orchard on the Emmitsburg road, and thence along the road toward Gettysburg to a second orchard. This new disposition seemed to me, notwithstanding the sharp angle in our line made necessary by the formation of the ground, to be a much more desirable one. I placed Smith's battery near the extreme left, between Round Top Mountain and the woods, on a rocky hill commanding a long valley running toward Emmitsburg. On the right of Smith's, after passing a belt of woods, was an opening, in which I placed Winslow's battery of light 12-pounders. This position was surrounded by woods, but, in my opinion, the line was materially strengthened by this battery of short-range guns. In the open field, with his left resting near the woods, I placed Captain Bigelow's (Massachusetts) battery, from the Artillery Reserve; on this right Clark's, and next, and in the peach orchard that stood in the angle formed by our lines, was Ames' battery, G, First New York, also from the Artillery Reserve. All these batteries fronted toward Emmitsburg, or in the direction from which the attack of the enemy was expected and afterward received. Randolph's battery was placed on the Emmitsburg road, fronting nearly perpendicular to those before mentioned; and still farther to the right, and near the extreme left of the line held by the corps, was Seeley's. With the exception of almost continual skirmishing between our sharpshooters and those of the enemy, the first movement of the latter toward attacking was, at about 2 p. m., to place a battery in position near the intersection of the Fairfield and Emmitsburg roads, near a barn, and easily visible from the peach orchard in the angle of our lines. In obedience to the command of Major-General Sickles, as well as in accordance with my own conviction of the necessity of holding that point, I was examining the ground with a view of placing a battery in the orchard, when the enemy opened a smart artillery fire upon the troops massed in the open field. I directed Captain Clark to take the position before mentioned as held by his battery, and to silence, or at least reply to, while I placed Ames' battery of light 12-pounders in the orchard to assist him. It soon became evident that the enemy was preparing for an attack at this point. He soon opened more batteries on the right of his first, and commenced a heavy fire from them upon our troops. Ames and Clark were soon so well at work that the advantage was not on the side of the enemy, and at last a well-directed fire from Smith's battery (10-pounder Parrotts) on the extreme left silenced them for a time. The respite, however, was short, as at about 3 p. m. the enemy reopened fire, and, under cover of his artillery, began to push infantry against our position. The part of our line where Smith's battery was placed was assailed in the most furious and determined manner, and, notwithstanding the gallant conduct of our troops, after a long struggle it became evident that the line would break. The hill upon which the guns stood was very rough and rocky, rendering maneuvering with horses almost an impossibility. Four of Captain Smith's guns only had been at first placed in battery. These were served effectively till they could no longer be without danger to our own troops, who had advanced to the front of the battery. The remaining two were placed in position a few yards in rear, and pointed obliquely into the woods on the left, in front of Round Top Mountain, which were occupied by the advancing lines of the enemy. These guns continued their fire