north of Gettysburg; and whether Hill was advancing toward York or Early was returning therefrom by this route, it was important to know what force of the enemy was on their flank at Gettysburg. That a force was there was disclosed by Pettigrew's attempt to get shoes for his men. In the absence of the cavalry, the only way to find this out was to make reconnaisance in force; and Hill would have been unfit to command an army corps if he had not attempted to do this.
In order to understand the situation on the 30th, when General Pettigrew found the enemy in Gettysburg, it will be necessary to locate General Ewell's corps, which we can do from his report and Early's. General Ewell says:
"On the night of June 30th, Rodes' division, which I accompanied, was at Heidlesburg with Colonel Brown's reserve artillery between Green Village and Scotland. At Heidlesburg I received orders from the General commanding to proceed to Cashtown or Gettysburg, as circumstances might dictate (italics mine), and a note from General A. P. Hill, saying he was at Cashtown. Next morning I moved with Rodes' division towards Cashtown, ordering Early to follow by Hunterstown."
General Early says in his report:
"On the afternoon of the 29th I received through Captain Elliott, Aide to General Ewell, a copy of a note from General Lee, and also verbal instructions which required me to move back and rejoin the rest of the corps on the western side of the South Mountain, and, accordingly at daylight, on the morning of the 30th, I put my whole command in motion, taking the route with the main body through Weigalstown and East Berlin in the direction of Heidlesburg, from which place I could move either to Shippensburg or Greenwood by the way of Arendtsburg, as circumstances might require. I at the same time sent Colonel White's cavalry on the turnpike from York towards Gettysburg, to ascertain if any force of the enemy was on that road. At East Berlin a small squad of the enemy's cavalry was seen and pursued by my cavalry advance, and I received information at this point from Colonel White, by a messenger,
