arrival on the left laid down his life for the cause he so valiantly
served. He was killed by a bullet from the gun of a sharpshooter in
Middletown. He did not live to make a report and the story never has
been told officially of how he marched from right to left at Cedar
Creek.

Sheridan had not yet come up, but after his arrival, which he states in
his memoirs was not later than ten o'clock, Custer was moved to the
right flank, arriving in time to thwart a threatened flanking movement
by Gordon and Kershaw. It is evident that every strategic attempt of the
enemy, save the morning surprise, was checkmated by the union cavalry
and, it must be remembered, that it was the absence of cavalry on the
left which rendered the morning surprise possible.

The First division was now all together with General Merritt personally
in command. A part of Lowell's brigade, dismounted, was posted well to
the front, the Michigan brigade, mounted, in its rear. While in this
position, having occasion to ride up into the battery to speak to
Captain Martin, a sharpshooter in Middletown took a shot at us. The
bullet narrowly missed the captain and buried itself in my horse's
shoulder. Unlike the shell at Winchester, this wound disabled the old
fellow, so that he had to go to the rear and give way to a temporary
remount,--furnished by the commanding officer of the First
Michigan,--much to the regret of the old hero, for he was a horse who
loved the excitement of battle and relished its dangers.

Thus, for perhaps an hour (it may have been more) we stood in line
inviting attack. But the enemy, strongly posted behind fences and piles
of logs, with two ravines and fences separating us, seemed anxious to
"let well enough alone." Then Merritt rearranged his line. Devin's
brigade was posted next the pike, Lowell in the center, the Michigan
brigade on the extreme left. Martin's battery took position in an
orchard, on a rising point, which commanded the entire front and sloped
off to the rear, so that only the muzzles of the pieces were exposed to
the enemy's fire. Directly in front was a section of a battery which
Martin several times silenced but which had an aggravating way of coming
into action again and making it extremely uncomfortable for us. The
First, Sixth and Seventh were formed in line of squadron columns, the
Fifth a little to the rear as a reserve and support. A strong line of
mounted skirmishers held the front. The left was thrown so