Running into the enemy.
He told
General Long to go with me; ,view the situation and do whatever was necessary to protect our brigade.
I guided
General Long through the woods to about the spot where I first rode out of it. I pointed out the situation of our brigade.
He said my right was thoroughly protected by our batteries, but I could not see any of our guns nor any of
Gordon's men. I told him I would not be willing to guide him to our brigade.
The trip would be too dangerous; that I supposed
Ewell knew what enemy were in our rear, and would drive them back.
I then galloped to my right.
I suppose I rode in my excitement too far to the front, as I came squarely upon a body of the enemy.
I waived my hat to them and gave a ‘whoop.’
They responded with cheers.
I then turned my horse to the left and rode rapidly to the rear.
I had not gone far when a body of men fired on me and shot my horse, but he managed to bear me to my brigade before he fell and died.
Almost immediately afterwards,
Sergeant Gibson, with a squad of men, came up bearing a number of large wooden cartridge boxes of fixed ammunition.
My share of this much needed ammunition was quickly distributed, and
Colonel Terrell's share left.
I started to walk to
Terrell's command, but a voice from the ditch stopped me with about the same warning that I had received from
Terrell, and the additional information that he was driving the enemy back with his two guns; had plenty of ammunition and when he needed my assistance he would call for it.
The balance of the ammunition was then distributed among my men. Some of my men caught a stray horse of unknown ownership, and saddled and bridled him for me. This horse I tied to the wheel of a gun-carriage immediately on my left flank, and the horse was killed before the day was over by the fire on our rear.
A six-pounder cannon was standing naked on the line of the ditch, without limber or caison, and no ammunition could be found for serving
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it. Twice during the evening a member from my regiment was sent to the rear for information, and reported each time that the enemy were advancing on our rear.
I went out to see for myself; could not see that they were moving towards us, but found that they had gotten much closer than at first; saw that something was stopping them, and making gaps in their ranks; the second time that I looked towards them their ranks seemed to waiver, and to fade away.
