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[534] advantage of the Spencer magazine carbine, and, late in the afternoon, they drove Hampton back. Ewell's health at this time required him to surrender the command of his corps permanently to Early, who was succeeded by Ramseur, promoted. On Sunday, the 29th, Grant ordered the 6th, 2d, and 5th corps, in that order from his right to left, to reconnoitre in their fronts and locate our lines, the 9th corps being held in reserve. The 6th corps found only the cavalry on our left flank. The other two found our pickets on the Totopotomoy, and, at an average distance of a thousand yards behind, our line was rapidly intrenching. Some sharp skirmishing occurred during the next three days, the enemy crossing the Totopotomoy and intrenching opposite to us. In many of the Federal accounts, it is assumed that Lee's attitude at this period was strictly the defensive. Perhaps it should have been, but all who were near him recognized that never in the war was he so ready to attack upon the slightest opportunity. An instance occurred on May 30, of which I was a spectator. A half-mile in front of our line we could see Bethesda Church, an important junction point, well within the enemy's territory, and sure to be included within his lines, rapidly being extended to his left. Down a long, straight road, we had seen their cavalry all the morning, and, about noon, a brigade of infantry appeared. Immediately, Lee ordered Early to send a brigade to attack it. Early selected Pegram's brigade, commanded by Gen. Edward Willis, a brilliant young officer, just promoted from the 12th Ga., who had been a cadet at West Point at the beginning of the war. He had been a personal friend and I saw his brigade start on its errand with apprehension of disaster, for it was evident that a hornets' nest would be stirred up. The Federal brigade was quickly routed and pursued, but the pursuers soon encountered a division with its artillery and were repulsed with severe loss. It had ‘made a resolute attack,’ as stated by Humphreys, and lost Willis and two of his colonels, killed. Meanwhile, Butler having been defeated, and, as said by Grant, ‘bottled’ at Bermuda Hundreds, Grant decided to draw
1907.
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