Warren Court of Inquiry Volume 1

Testimony of W.H.F. Lee

page 532

I left General Corse with this dismounted brigade about the time that the infantry lines gave way on our left, about the time that General Pickett rode up with his staff and told us his lines were broken. General Beale told me the enemy were immediately in my rear [Crawford's division V Corps] I then told General Beale to protect himself and get his men back to their horses and withdraw his brigade and I would protect his flank and rear as far as I could with this remaining brigade which was mounted, consited of three regiments [actually two regiments] We moved out into an open field to my right and passed through a skirt of woods.

page 535

When I rode on this open field, this cavalry was crossing a low swampy place and we commencted to charge them, and broke them up.

page 537

. . . I then moved with this brigade to protect my flank. The enemy were then moving on my right. I moved through some woods here and moved here [indicates in opening west of the Gilliam field] . I recollect a swamp here . As they crossed the swamp we made several charges to drive them back.

page 537

q. How late was it that your men held the edge of that wood, on the west side of the Gilliam field?
A I would not like to be positive. I think we must have been around the tobacco barn until the time, when I made this move to counteract this move on my right. We were fighting around this tobacco farm with outposts.