The Killer Angels - Michael Shaara [45]
He sent a message to Ewell to advance with all possible speed. He sent a note to Longstreet telling him that the Union infantry had arrived in force. But he knew Longstreet could do nothing; there were two divisions in his way. Lee looked at his watch: well after two o’clock. Darkness a long way away. No way of knowing where the rest of Meade’s army was. Possibly moving to the south, to get between Lee and Washington.
And here, at last, was Harry Heth.
He rode up spattering dust, jerking at the horse with unnatural motions, a square-faced man, a gentle face. He blinked, saluting, wiping sweat from his eyes. He had never been impulsive, like Hill; there was even at this moment something grave and perplexed about him, a studious bewilderment. He had been the old army’s leading authority on the rifle; he had written a manual. But he had gotten into a fight against orders and there was a blankness in his eyes, vacancy and shame. Lee thought: He does not know what’s happening.
Heth coughed. “Sir, beg to report.”
“Yes.”
“Very strange, sir. Situation very confused.”
“What happened?”
Lee’s eyes were wide and very dark. Heth said painfully, “Sir. I moved in this morning as directed. I thought it was only a few militia. But it was dismounted cavalry. John Buford. Well, there weren’t all that many and it was only cavalry, so I just decided to push on it. The boys wouldn’t hold back. I thought we shouldn’t ought to be stopped by a few dismounted cavalry. But they made a good fight. I didn’t expect … They really put up a scrap.”
“Yes.” Lee was watching his eyes.
Heth grimaced, blowing. “Well, sir, they wouldn’t leave. My boys got the dander up. We deployed the whole division and went after them. We just about had them running and then all of a sudden I see us moving in on infantry. They got infantry support up from the south. The boys got pushed back. Then we reformed and tried again, couldn’t stop there, sir, but there’s more infantry now, I don’t know how many. But I don’t know what else we could have done. Sir, I’m sorry. But it started out as a minor scrap with a few militia and the next thing I know I’m tangling with half the Union Army.”
“Who are they?”
“Sir?”
Lee was watching the fight, which was now relatively quiet. The smoke was clearing, blowing toward the north. He could see blue troops moving in the trees on the Union right, moving out on the flank. He looked north, but he could see nothing beyond the ridge. The blue troops seemed to be pulling back that way, retreating, reforming. Strange. The battery up by the cupola had stopped firing. Riding up through the haze: Dorsey Pender. Letter from a pious wife.
To Heth Lee said, “What units have you engaged?”
“The cavalry was Buford, sir. Two brigades. They really fought. Then there was the First Corps, the Black Hats, John Reynolds’ old corps. Then there was another corps, but we still haven’t got it identified.”
At Lee’s shoulder, Taylor said quietly, insistently, “General, you are in range of the enemy batteries.”
Lee said, “It’s quiet now.” He looked once more at Heth; his anger died. No time for blame. But there must be information.
Taylor insisted, “You gentlemen are standing together. May I suggest that you move at least to the shelter of the trees?”
There was a sudden fire on the left, a burst in the north. Lee felt an acute spasm of real anger. He clutched his chest. I know nothing.
Heth said, “I’d better look to my flank.” He moved away. A rider came up—a courier from Rodes.
“General Rodes’ compliments, sir. I have the honor to inform you that the General has joined the engagement with his entire division and is attacking the Union right. He begs me to inform you that General Early is behind him and will be on the field within the hour. Do you have any instructions, sir?”
Lee felt a thrill of delight, mixed with alarm. Rodes had come in right on the Union flank; the blue troops were turning to meet a new threat. And Early was close behind. A flank assault, already begun. Lee sat staring north. No way