A line of hastily constructed fieldworks arise.  A shout—­such a shout rolls from right to left of Lee’s lines.  It has a meaning, and that meaning is that Grant’s advance is baffled!  But the Federal commander is not to be shut off.  If he cannot advance one way, he will another.  Hence, the parallel lines are started—­the farther he stretches to our right, we must stretch also.

So now comes the affair at Brock’s Road, on the 8th of May. 1864.  As before remarked, Grant commenced his attempt at a flank movement, by means of an extension of his columns parallel to ours, hoping to meet some opening through which he might pour a torrent of armed men.  Early in the morning of the 8th of May, 1864, we are aroused and begin our march.  Soon we see an old Virginia gentleman, bareheaded and without his shoes, riding in haste towards us.  He reports that our cavalry are holding the enemy back on Brock’s Road, but that the Federal infantry are seen to be forming for the attack, and, of course, our cavalry cannot stand such a pressure.  General Kershaw orders us forward in double-quick.  Still we are not then.  Then it was that a gallant cavalryman rushes to us and said, “Run for our rail piles; the Federal infantry will reach them first, if you don’t run.”  Our men sprang forward as if by magic.  We occupy the rail piles in time to see a column, a gallant column, moving towards us, about sixty yards away.  Fire, deadening fire, is poured into that column by our men.  A gallant Federal officer rides just in rear, directing the movement.  “Pick that officer off of his horse,” is the command given to two or three of our cool marksmen.  He falls.  The column staggers and then falls back.  Once more they come to time.  We are better prepared for them.

Right here let me state a funny occurrence.  Sim Price observed old man John Duckett, in the excitement, shooting his rifle high over the heads of the Yankees.  This was too much for Sim Price, and he said, “Good God, John Duckett, are you shooting at the moon?”

Here is the gallant J.E.B.  Stuart, Lieutenant General, commanding the cavalry of the Army of Northern Virginia, with hat off, waiving it in an enthusiastic cheering of the gallant men of the old Third.  Well he may, for the line they held on that day was that adopted by General Lee for the famous Spottsylvania battle.

Just prior to the battle of Spottsylvania Court House, which was fought on the 12th of May, 1864, sharpshooters were posted in trees in the woods, and kept up a pretty constant fusilade when any head showed itself.  It is recalled that when Major R.P.  Todd returned to our command an officer, eager to hear from his home in South Carolina, entered a little fly-tent with Todd, and presently one of these sharpshooters put a ball through this tent, between the heads of the two.  Maybe they didn’t move quickly.  Here it was, that lest a night attack might be made, one-third of the men were kept in the trenches all