The near party of the advance guard halted at the same time the column halted, and just after the column was again put in motion, I saw several of them, if not all of them, with their hats on their rifles raised in the air and moving them, indicating thereby that the enemy was in sight.

The column was again halted.

At that moment a bullet came whistling from the direction of an orchard on our right front.

This was the first shot, and came close to Capt.

Gardner and myself.