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mort"? but when the "younger and abler man," whoever he might be, assumed command, the mummies of the Pyramids or the skeleton bones beneath the ruins of Pompeii could not be more silent than the refusal of these heroes to sing to Lee's successor, "Vive Le Roi."
Aye, as certain as that the day will roll around, when "the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed," so sure would the Angel of Peace have donned her white and shining robes in that hour that General Lee bid farewell to the Army of Northern Virginia and mounted "Traveller" to ride away from his people. The termination of the war would indeed have simplified the duties of "the younger and abler man!"
Official Report of General W. N. Pendleton, Chief of Artillery, A. N. V.
[The following report has never been published, and so far as we know the original MS. from which we print is the only copy in existence. We are indebted to its distinguished author for the privilege of adding it to our Gettysburg series.]
Headquarters Artillery Corps, A. N. V.,
September 12th, 1862.
General: A report of artillery operations during the late campaign I have now the honor to submit. It has been somewhat retarded by delays on the part of battalion commanders.
The severe contests near Fredericksburg, early in May, having resulted disastrously to the enemy, opportunity was allowed us of repairing losses and getting ready for subsequent operations. To this end my energies were directed throughout the month of May. What had been the general reserve was distributed, and the three corps into which the army was now divided had assigned to each five artillery battalions, averaging four four-gun batteries, each battalion being satisfactorily equipped and well commanded; and the group for each corps being under charge of a suitable chief.
On the 5th of June, when preparations were in progress for a removal of general headquarters on the new campaign, the First and Second corps having already marched toward Culpeper, the enemy appeared in some force opposite Fredericksburg, and in the afternoon opened a heavy artillery fire near the mouth of Deep Run, under cover of which they established, as some months before, a pontoon bridge and pushed across a body of infantry. That evening and the following morning were employed in adjusting the artillery and other troops of the Third corps, left on the Fredericksburg heights for this very contingency. But indications being satisfactory that the movement was only a feint, the Commanding-General, soon after midday, moved forward. According to instructions, my own course was also directed towards Culpeper, where, after a bivouac for the night, we arrived early on Sunday morning, June 7th. On the afternoon of June 13th the Second corps, Lieutenant-General Ewell commanding, which had a day or two before marched from Culpeper, approached Win-