the left and rear,
were heard the ominous sounds. From the position we occupied no infantry
line of battle was to be seen.

Soon after the Michigan brigade had taken its position at the front,
Colonel Charles R. Lowell rode up at the head of the Reserve brigade.
Colonel Lowell was a young man, not much past his majority, and looked
like a boy. He was a relative of James Russell Lowell, and had won
distinction as colonel of the Second Massachusetts cavalry. He had
succeeded Merritt as commander of the Reserve brigade. He had a frank,
open face, a manly, soldierly bearing, and a courage that was never
called in question. He was a graduate of Harvard, not of West Point,
though he had been a captain in the Sixth United States cavalry.

Colonel Lowell informed me that his orders were to support the Michigan
men if they needed support. No help was needed at that time. I told him
so. The enemy had been easily checked and, at the moment, had become so
quiet as to give rise to the suspicion that he had withdrawn from our
front, as indeed he had. A great battle was raging to the left, and in
response to the suggestion that the army seemed to be retreating, he
replied:

"I think so," and after a few moments reflection, said:

"I shall return" and immediately began the countermarch.

I said to him: "Colonel, what would you do if you were in my place?"

"I think you ought to go too" he replied and, presently, turning in his
saddle, continued: "Yes, I will take the responsibility to give you the
order," whereat, the two brigades took up the march toward the point
where the battle, judging from the sound, seemed to be in progress. How
little either of us realized that Lowell was marching to his death. It
was into the thickest of the fight that he led the way, Michigan
willingly following.[38]

A startling sight presented itself as the long cavalry column came out
into the open country overlooking the battle-ground. Guided by the
sound, a direction had been taken that would bring us to the pike as
directly as possible and at the same time approach the union lines from
the rear. This brought us out on a commanding ridge north of Middletown.
This ridge as it appears to a participant looking at it from memory,
runs to and across the pike. The ground descends to the south a half
mile, or more, then gradually rises again to another ridge about on a
line with Middletown. The confederate forces were on the last named
ridge, along whi