ed soldier and a hard fighter. He it was who
opened the battle of Gettysburg on Seminary Hill.

When the best possible dispositions had been made for the expected
attack of the morning, he invited me to an excuse for a headquarters,
consisting of a tattered tent-fly. The night was dark and rainy,
and everybody was wet and uncomfortable. The bronzed old soldier,
from some hidden recess, had an orderly produce a bottle of whisky,
the corkage of which was perfect, and, in the absence of a corkscrew,
presented a problem. He said, "All right, you hold the candle."
He then held the bottle in his left hand, and with his sword in
the right struck the neck of it so skillfully as to cut it off
smoothly. The problem was solved. Further details are unnecessary.
I understood the art of making drinking-cups by cutting a bottle
in two with a strong string, but this feat of Buford's was new to
me.( 8)

John Buford died of disease, December 16, 1863, a Major-General of
Volunteers. He had won great renown as an able, fighting soldier.

Lee was not to be allowed to rest in his chosen winter quarters.
On the 7th of November the Army of the Potomac moved to the fords
on the Rappahannock, and preparation was made to pass then, although
they were strongly defended by the enemy. The Third Corps massed
at Kelly's Ford, some five miles below Rappahannock Station. This
corps forced a crossing about 5 P.M., and massed in battle order
on the bluffs near the river. My command did no fighting this day.
The Third Brigade, with some assistance from the Second Brigade of
the First Division of the Sixth Corps, at dusk, under the leadership
of the accomplished General David A. Russell, gallantly assaulted
and carried the strongly fortified _tete-de-pont_ on the north of
the river at Rappahannock Station. The principal parts of Hoke's
and Hays' brigades of Early's division of Ewell's corps were
captured, numbering, including killed and wounded, 1630. Russell's
loss in this affair, all told, was 327. He captured seven battle
flags and Green's battery of four rifled guns.( 9) Lee had intended
to hold this position as a centre, and then fall, alternately, on
the divided portions of the Army of the Potomac after they crossed
the river above and below it.(10) Its loss forced him to retire
from the river and take position in front of Culpeper Court-House,
with his right resting on Mount Pony.

The next day the principal part of Meade's army,