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to countermarch, and in doing so we passed Hood’s division, which had beenfollowing us. We moved back to the place where we had rested during themorning, and thence by a country road to Willoughby Run, then dry, anddown that to the school-house beyond Pitzer’s. There we turned to the leftthrough the lane, moving directly toward Little Round Top. General Long-street here commanded me to advance with my brigade and attack theenemy at the Peach Orchard, which lay a little to the left of my line ofmarch, some six hundred yards from us. I was directed to turn the flank ofthat position, extend my line along the road we were then in beyond theEmmitsburg pike, with my left resting on that road. At the same time a
battery of artillery was moved along-side of the column, parallel to my lineof march. At 3 r. m. the head of mycolumn emerged from the woods, andcame into the open field in front ofthe stone wall which extends along byFlaherty’s farm, and to the east pastSnyder’s. Here we were in full view ofthe Federal position. Their main lineappeared to extend from Little RoundTop, where their signal flags were fly'ing, until it was lost to sight far awayto the left. An advanced line occupiedthe Peach Orchard, heavily supportedby artillery, and extended from thatpoint toward our left along the Emroits-burg road. The intervening ground wasoccupied by open fields, interspersedand divided by stone walls. The position just here seemed almost impreg-nable. I immediately formed line of battle along the stone wall just men-tioned, my left resting about Flaherty’s house, and my right near Snyder’S-This was done under cover of my skirmishers, who engaged those of theenemy near the Emmitsburg road. In the meantime I examined theposition of the Federals with some care. I found them in superior force,strongly posted in the Peach Orchard, which bristled with artillery, with amain line of battle in their rear, apparently intrenched, and extending to,if not upon, Little Round Top, far beyond the point at which their left hadbeen supposed to rest. To carry out my instructions would have been, nsuccessfid in driving the enemy from the Peach Orchard, to present my °" rr |right flank and rear to a large portion of the enemy’s main line of battle,therefore placed my command in position under the cover of the stone walfland communicated the condition of matters to Major-General McLaws . Thedivision was then formed on this line, Semmes’s brigade two hundred y ar ^ sin rear and supporting Kershaw’s; Barksdale’s on the left of Kershaw’s, wnWofford’s in Barksdale’s rear supporting him. Cabell’s battalion of artillerywas placed along the wall to Kershaw’s right, and the 15th South Carolina
MAJOR-GENERAL E. M. LAW, C. S. A.3MIOM A PHOTOGRAPH.