Battle at Reams Station. 113
them what the army ought to do ; would He not graciously reveal to him what was best to be done ? This was the substance of his prayer, which he continued to utter as he urged his suit with God, which he did with the utmost humility and reverence, and yet with the humble boldness of a little child. Jackson continued praying so very long that Ewell concluded that he would leave.
When they assembled next morning, and Jackson laid before them what he would suggest, they all instantly perceived that it was the very thing that ought to be done, and so the movement through Thoroughfare Gap was decided upon, and the series of battles fol- lowed with the results so well known by all. Ewell was wounded, but he still held the opinion as to Jackson's natural ability, and there was, therefore, no other way, to his mind, to explain Jackson's suc- cess, except, that prayer had power with God, and that this fact car- ried with it practically all the rest that the New Testament taught ; and if this was the case, he was most assuredly on the wrong side, and the quicker he got over to the right side, the better for him, and that he had been trying to get there ever since he had come to that conclusion ; and it was in carrying out this determination that he now asked admission to church membership.
BATTLE AT REAMS' STATION.
EXTRACT FROM THE " MEMORIAL ADDRESS DELIVERED MAY 10, 1890, AT WILMINGTON, N. C., BY HON. CHARLES M. STEDMAN."
But I must pass over many fields that I may mention Reams' Sta- tion, which I am asked to notice somewhat fully. This engagement was fought on the 25th of -August, 1864. Upon the investment of Petersburg, the possession of the Weldon road became of manifest importance, as it was Lee's main line of communication with the South, whence he drew his men and supplies. On the i8th of August, 1864, General G. K. Warren, with the Fifth corps of Grant's Army and Kautz's division of cavalry, occupied the line of the Weldon road at a point six miles from Petersburg. An attempt was made to dislodge them from this position on the 2ist, but the effort failed. Emboldened by Warren's success, Hancock was ordered from Deep Bottom to Reams' Station, ten miles from Petersburg. He arrived
