Group of officers.
After going a short distance further, I came to a group of mounted officers, consisting of
Generals Ewell,
Custis Lee,
Barton and others.
In a few moments the artillery of the enemy opened on us. For myself, I must confess I felt somewhat excited, but
General Ewell remarked in his ordinary tones: ‘Tomatoes are very good; I wish I had some.’
This remark, under the circumstances, at once calmed my excitement, and with great difficulty I restrained my disposition to laugh.
In a few minutes we were moved to the right, and as the ground was rough, hilly and thick with trees and undergrowth, I dismounted and turned my horse over to my orderly.
We proceeded a half a mile or more and were halted a little below the crest of a steep ridge, with a deep ravine in front of us, and another ridge opposite us as high, if not higher than our ridge.
From our position the opposite crest was distant some 200 to 300 yards. On our extreme left (being the left of the entire corps) was the naval battalion, under
Commodore Tucker, then came my little command of some ninety muskets, then came the command of
Colonel Crutchfield (who was killed not far from where I stood). My belief has always been that there was a considerable interval between
Crutchfield's right and the next command.
I think the troops named above numbered not more than 600 muskets.
