y did it fly.

Sheridan did not pass to the left of the pike where the cavalry was, but
dashed along in front of the infantry for the purpose of letting the
army know that he was there and give it the inspiration of his presence.
History puts in his mouth the words: "It is all right, boys; we will
whip them yet; we will sleep in our old camps tonight." I was not near
enough to hear and do not pretend to quote from personal knowledge, but
whatever may have been his exact words, the enthusiasm which they
aroused was unmistakable. The answer was a shout that sent a thrill
across the valley and whose ominous meaning must have filled the hearts
of the confederates with misgivings. This was the first intimation we
had that Sheridan was on the ground, though he says in his memoirs, that
it was then after midday and that he had been up about two hours.

But the Sixth corps needed no encouragement. Nobly had it done its duty
during the entire progress of the battle. Sheridan and his staff,
therefore, busied themselves reforming and posting the Nineteenth corps
and strengthening the right where Custer was to be given the post of
honor in the grand flanking movement about to begin.

An ominous silence succeeded. Even the batteries were still. It was the
calm that precedes the storm. To those on the left, it seemed that the
dispositions were a long time in making. When one has his courage
screwed to the sticking point, the more quickly he can plunge in and
have it over the better. The suspense was terrible.

The Michigan brigade had ample time to survey the field in its front.
First, the ground descended abruptly into a broad ravine, or depression,
through which ran a small creek. Beyond the top of the opposite ascent
was a wide plateau of rather level ground, then another ravine and a dry
ditch; then a rise and another depression, from which the ground sloped
up to a belt of timber stretching clear across the front, almost to the
pike. In the edge of the timber was the enemy's main line of battle,
behind piles of rails and logs. Half way down the slope was a strong
skirmish line along a rail fence. Behind the fence, on a knoll, was the
battery, which had annoyed us so much. The brigade was formed with the
First Michigan on the right, the Seventh on the left, the Sixth and
Fifth in the center, in the order named. Each regiment was in column of
battalions, making three lines of two ranks each. Martin's battery was
to continue fir