ad
driven them in the evening. As dawn approached now, he was about to
resume the attack; and, in obedience to Lee's orders, attempt to
"dislodge the enemy" from other parts of the ridge, when General Meade
took the initiative, and opened upon him a furious fire of cannon,
which was followed by a determined infantry charge to regain the hill.
Ewell held his ground with the obstinate nerve which characterized
him, and the battle raged about four hours--that is, until about eight
o'clock. At that time, however, the pressure of the enemy became too
heavy to stand. General Meade succeeded in driving Ewell from the
hill, and the Federal lines were reestablished on the commanding
ground which they had previously occupied.

This event probably deranged, in some degree, General Lee's
plans, which contemplated, as we have seen, an attack by Ewell
contemporaneous with the main assault by Longstreet. Ewell was in no
condition at this moment to assume the offensive again; and the pause
in the fighting appears to have induced General Lee to reflect and
modify his plans. Throughout the hours succeeding the morning's
struggle, Lee, attended by Generals Hill and Longstreet, and their
staff-officers, rode along the lines, reconnoitring the opposite
heights, and the cavalcade was more than once saluted by bullets from
the enemy's sharp-shooters, and an occasional shell. The result of
the reconnoissance seems to have been the conclusion that the Federal
left--now strengthened by breastworks, behind which powerful reserves
lay waiting--was not a favorable point for attack. General Meade,
no doubt, expected an assault there; and, aroused to a sense of his
danger by the Confederate success of the previous day, had made every
preparation to meet a renewal of the movement. The Confederate left
and centre remained, but it seemed injudicious to think of attacking
from Ewell's position. A concentration of the Southern force there
would result in a dangerous separation of the two wings of the army;
and, in the event of failure, the enemy would have no difficulty in
descending and turning Lee's right flank, and thus interposing between
him and the Potomac.

The centre only was left, and to this Lee now turned his attention. A
determined rush, with a strong column at Cemetery Hill in his front,
might wrest that point from the enemy. Then their line would be
pierced; the army would follow; Lee would be rooted on this commanding
ground, directly be