Orders were shouted to fall back through Gettysburg on the cemetery hill, and it was high

time to do so, as from all sides Confederate masses approached the town on the double quick.

Passing a church on the outskirts, surgeon Schultz, frightened to death, stopped me and

asked if he would be taken prisoner if caught.

I said, put a white handkerchief on your arm, and attend the wounded, there are lots of

them in the streets.

This delayed me, and some twenty Confederates came rushing on, hallowing to me to surrender.

One excited fellow got hold of Caesar's bridal with his left hand, and was ready to lunch

his bayonet into me with his right, screaming, surrender, get down you damned yank!

You be damned I answered, and cut off his hand with my sacks and sword.

Then I started off, gave spurs to my horse, but to my whore found myself in a yard, surrounded

by high fence rails.

They shot at me from behind and demanded surrender.

Caesar with an enormous effort jumped the fence and made off towards cemetery hill.

In reaching the arch, I dismounted and examined my horse.

The poor fellow had been shot twice, but they were only slight flesh wounds.

My left leg was wounded, and I felt blood filling my right boot.

My left shoulder strap had been shot away, and the shoulder was badly scratched.

One bullet had damaged the back of my saddle, partially protected by a rubber blanket, and

when I tried to replace my saber, I found the scabbard bent.

I had hurt my right knee badly on the fence, and torn off one of my stir-ups.

Captain Frederick Barron Von Fritch, 68th New York Infantry, Von Gilsis Brigade.

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