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our line—which in any case must rest on Bound Top, and connect with theleft of the Second Corps—as to require a larger force than the Third Corpsalone to hold it, and it would be difficult to occupy and strengthen the angleif the enemy already held the wood in its front. At my instance GeneralSickles ordered a reconnoissance to ascertain if the wood was occupied.
About this time a cannonade was opened on Cemetery Hill, which indicatedan attack there, and as I had examined the Eunnitsburg Bidge, I said X
would not await the result of the recomnoissance but return to headquartersby way of Bound Top, and examm ethat part of the proposed line. As 1was leaving, General Sickles asked meif he should move forward his corps.I answered, “Not on my authority;I will report to General Meade for hisinstructions.” I had not reached thewheat-field when a sharp rattle ofmusketry showed that the enemy heldthe wood in front of the Peach Or-chard angle.
As I rode back a view from thatdirection showed how much fartherPeach Orchard was to the front of thedirect line than it appeared from theorchard itself. In fact there was athird line between them, which appeared, as seen from the orchard, to be con-tinuous with Cemetery Bidge, but was nearly six hundred yards in front of h-This is the open ground east of Plum Bun already described, and which maybe called the Plum Bun line. Its left where it crosses the run abuts rather onDevil’s Den than Bound Top; it was commanded by the much higher PeachOrchard crests, and was therefore not an eligible line to occupy, although hbecame of importance during the battle.
As to the other two lines, the choice between them would depend on cir-cumstances. The direct short line through the woods, and including theBound Tops, could be occupied, intrenched, and made impregnable to a fi’ 011attack. But, like that of Culp’s Ilill, it would be a purely defensive one, fvoOwhich, owing to the nature of the ground and the enemy’s commanding p° s1 'tion on the ridges at the angle, an advance in force would be impracticable-The salient line proposed by General Sickles, although much longer, afford©excellent positions for our artillery; its occupation would cramp the mo ve 'ments of the enemy, bring us nearer his lines, and afford us facilities for tak-ing the offensive. It was in my judgment tactically the better line of the tw©»provided it were strongly occupied, for it was the only one on the field ft' 0111which we could have passed from the defensive to the offensive with a p roSpect of decisive results. But General Meade had not, until the arrival 0the Sixth Corps, a sufficient number of troops at his disposal to risk such
COLONEL EDWARD E. CROSS, COMMANDING THE FIRSTBRIGADE OF CALDWELL’S DIVISION, KILLED NEARDEVIL’S DEN, JULY 2. FROM A PHOTOGRAPH.