The Cavalry Fight on the Right Flank.
As already noted, General Stuart in his movement in rear of the Army of the Potomac with three brigades of cavalry—Fitzhugh Lee’s, Wade Hampton’s, and Chambliss’—reached Hanover on June 30th, fought a battle in the streets, and moved on to Carlisle on the afternoon of July 1st. There he got in touch with the main Confederate Army, with which he had been out of communication for seven days.
After an encounter with a portion of Kilpatrick’s forces at Hunterstown on the afternoon of July 2nd, he moved up to a position between the Hunterstown and Harrisburg roads on Ewell’s left, expecting to reach Meade’s rear about the time of Pickett’s Charge on Meade’s front. He was joined by Jenkins’ Confederate Brigade of mounted infantry armed with Enfield rifles. Jenkins was wounded at Hunterstown, and the brigade and the command fell to Colonel Ferguson.
General Gregg, in command of the 2nd Cavalry Division of the Union Army, reached the field east of Gettysburg at the intersection of the Hanover and Low Dutch roads at 11 A.M. on July 2nd. In the afternoon he halted a movement of Walker’s brigade of Johnson’s Division, Ewell’s Corps, in their movement from Brinkerhoff Ridge to assist in the attack on Meade’s right at Culp’s Hill. He bivouacked for the night near the bridge across White Run. On the morning of the 3rd he returned to the position of the 2nd, and took an active part in the cavalry fight on the right flank at the time of Pickett’s Charge. In the afternoon, in the important engagement on East Cavalry Field he successfully opposed General Stuart in his efforts to get behind the Union line.