ak, naturally and gradually
conformed to the movement of Emerson. Finally, when the left of
the line once more entered the woods, Emerson, gradually changing
the direction toward the right, drifted Wheaton away from Emory,
and when this was perceived by the commanders, each began to look
for his neighbor. It is also probable that when the separation
took place the interval was gradually widened by Emory's movement
with his right resting on a road that, while apparently following
the true line of direction, really carried him every moment a little
farther toward the left. However that may be, when almost at the
same instant Wheaton and Emory halted and faced about, they found
themselves about eight hundred yards apart, a thousand yards behind
the line that Getty had just taken up, on the westward prolongation
of which Keifer had joined him with the brigade of Ball.

The affair had now lasted five hours; the retreat was at an end;
a tactical accident had carried it half a mile farther than was
intended; as it was, from the extreme front of Emory at daybreak
to his extreme rear at eleven o'clock, the measured distance was
but four miles. Every step of the way had been traversed under
orders--under orders that had carried the Nineteenth Corps three
times across the field of battle, so that its march, from Belle
Grove to the Old Forge road, might be represented by the letter N.

When Early saw the Union line retreating, he moved forward to the
cross-road beyond the cemetery, and posted his troops behind the
stone walls. Wharton extended the line on the east side of the
turnpike, with three batteries massed between him and the road.
Pegram covered the turnpike, his left resting on Meadow Brook, and
beyond it Ramseur, Kershaw, and Gordon carried the line to the east
bank of Middle Marsh Brook. Early had now two courses open to him:
one was to extricate his army from its position, with its enemy
directly in front and Cedar Creek in rear, before the Union commander
could take the initiative; the other was to attack vigorously with
all his force before the Union infantry should be able to complete
the new line of battle now plainly in the act of formation. In
either case, although he could easily see than on both flanks the
line of his infantry far overlapped that of his antagonist, Early
must have perceived that he had to reckon with the whole mass of
the Union cavalry, unshaken and as yet untouched. Moreover, his
men