falling back, was
intolerable. Every artillery man thought that if _his battery_ could
only get in, it would be all right. We knew what a difference it would
instantly make, if all these silent guns could be sweeping the columns
of the enemy. We would soon stop them, we thought! We just ached for
orders to come but they did not. Still the news came, "impossible to get
artillery in;" and loud and deep were the angry complaints of some, and
curses of others, and great the disgust of all at our forced inaction.
One fellow near me, voiced the feelings of us all--"If we can't get in
there, or Longstreet don't get here pretty quick, the devil will be to
pay."

=Arrival of the First Corps=

In the midst of this anxious and high wrought feeling, an excited voice
yelled out, "Look out down the road. Here they come!" We were driven
nearly wild with excited joy, and enthusiasm by the blessed sight of
Longstreet's advance division coming down the road at a double quick, at
which pace, after the news of Hill's critical situation reached them,
they had come for two miles and a half. The instant the head of his
column was seen the cries resounded on every side, "Here's Longstreet.
The old war horse is up at last. It's all right now."

On, the swift columns came! Crowding up to the road, on both sides, we
yelled ourselves nearly dumb to cheer them as they swept by. Hearty were
the greetings as we recognized acquaintances and friends and old battle
comrades in the passing columns. Specially did the "Howitzers" make the
welkin ring when Barksdale's Mississippi Brigade passed. This was the
brigade to which our battery had long been attached, to which we were
greatly devoted, with whom we had often fought, and admired as one of
the most splendid fighting corps in the army. And loud was the cheer the
gallant Mississippians flung back to the "Howitzers."

Everything broke loose as General Longstreet in person rode past. Like a
fine lady at a party, Longstreet was often late in his arrival at the
ball, but he always made a sensation and that of delight, when he _got_
in, with the grand old First Corps, sweeping behind him, as his train.

This was our own Corps, from which we had been separated for some
months. The very sight of the gallant old veterans, as they poured on,
was enough to make all hearts perfectly easy. Our feeling of relief was
complete and as the Brigades disappeared into the woods in the direction
of Hill's breaking righ