fire, from the uncertainty of this being a force of the enemy of of our men, as I had been cautioned to expect friends both in front, to the right, and to the left, Lieutenant-General Longstreet,

Major General Rodes, and Major-General Johnson, respectively, having been assigned to these relative positions; but after the delivery of a second and third volley, the flashing of the musketry disclosed the still-advancing line to be one of the enemy. I then gave the order to fire; the enemy was checked for a time, but discovering another line moving up in rear of this one, and still another force in rear of that, and being beyond the reach of support, I gave the order to retire to the stone wall at the foot of the hill, which was quietly and orderly effect. From this position I subsequently fell back to a fence some 75 yards distant from the wall, and awaited the further movements of the enemy. Only contemplating, however, to effect an orderly and controlled retreat before a force which I was convicted I could not hope to withstand-at all events, when I than was -I was on the point of retiring to a better position when Captain [John G.]Campbell, the brigade quartermaster, informed me that Brigadier-General Gordon was coming to my support. I immediately dispatched an officer to hasten General Gordon with all possible speed, but this officer returning without seeing General Gordon, I went back myself, and finding General Gordon occupying the precise position in the field occupied by me when I received the order to charge the enemy of Cemetery Hill, and not advancing, I concluded that any assistance from him would be too late, and my only course was to withdraw my command. I therefore moved my brigade by the right flank, leading it around the hill, so as to escape the observation of the enemy, and conducted in to the right of my original position, the occupied, as above stated, by Gordon's brigade. This was about 10 o'clock. I remained in this position for the night. About daybreak in the morning, I remain in this position for the night. About daybreak in the morning, I received an order from Major-General Early to withdraw my command from its position and to occupy that street in the city which I had held during July 1. I continued to remain here that day (3d), and until early in the morning of July 4, when I was ordered by

Major-General Early out of the city to a range of hills on the west. Here I put my brigade in line of battle, the division line being on the left of Major-General Rodes. In this position I remained with my command until 2 o'clock on the morning of July 5, when the line of march was taken toward Hagerstown, Md. My loss was:

Killed Wounded Missing

COMMAND Officers Officers Officers TOTAL

JULY 2: 5 15 3 23

JULY 3: 1 3 1 5

JULY 4: --- ---- --- ---

TOTAL 6 18 4 28

Killed Wuonded Missing

COMMAND Enlisted Enlisted Enlisted TOTAL

men men men

July 2: 16 104 38 158

JULY 3: 7 37 18 62

JULY 4: --- --- 20 20

TOTAL 23 141 76 240

31 R R-VOL XXVII, PT II