Turner's Gap, 5:00pm D.H. Hill could feel something brewing inside him as he rode with Major Ratchford of his staff and several cavalry scouts along the base of the mountain. He had been inspecting the front line of his Division, the brigades of Garland and Ripley. He was checking on the distance of separation from his Division and that of R.H. Anderson's at Fox's gap a few miles below. They rode up to a cabin near the wood line where the owner was standing in the front yard, surrounded by his young children, and evidently expectant of something.
Ratchford was wearing a blue overcoat which he found at Seven Pines. In questioning the owner Hill soon discovered that the mountaineer thought they were Federals. ?The road on which your men are approaching lead to the summit at Mountain house? the man told Hill. Nodding Hill asked ?Are there Rebels up there on the pike? ?Yes sir? the man replied and added ?but I do not know how many. They have been digging and working up there for several days.' Hill continued on with the ruse asking ?Who commands those rebels? The man answered ?I do not know. There is talk in town that Stonewall Jackson is up there.' Hill smiled and nodded asking ?How many of our scouting parties have passed through here? The man replied, ?None, you are the first.
' At that time a shell burst beyond the house towards the trees which caused one of his little girls to start crying. The Federals were testing their firing range and things were about to get hot. Before riding off D.H. Hill felt compelled to dismount and offer some soothing words to the girl having a little one of that age at home in North Carolina. Then he turned to the man and told him to quickly remove his family from that place and take them to the safety of Middletown. With that he remounted his horse and was off to the work of death. They rode back up to the ridge of the mountain which afforded excellent views of the Federal advance.
He was staring intently at the long blue column moving slowly through the valley. He hadn't noticed General Samuel Garland ride up alongside him when Garland almost under his breath whispered ?So many.' Hill snapped out of his gaze and looked over at his friend, ?Sam, I didn't realize you were there. It sure looks like we have a fight coming this way.' Garland was peering through his own field glasses, ?Looks like they are forming up. So late in the day, what could they expect to accomplish with three or four brigades? Hill was panning around looking to see what the intentions of the Federals were. ?Looks like a Division forming out in front of your boys Sam. I noticed another column moving towards Frost Town.
They may be going around us; this might be just a demonstration.' Garland was straining to see the other end of the valley and said ?They are still coming over the Catoctins? Daniel.' ?Yes, looks like a six mile blue serpent? replied Hill and added ?have a signal station placed on that hillside to your left if you need artillery support from Colonel Lee's battalion. I do not want to commit our full firepower if they do not press in the attack.' Hill looked over his shoulder to the west and added ?Day light is not on their side, I think they will make a charge and test our firepower and then tomorrow morning will bring on their full force.' Garland said ?Yes Sir? and started to pull his horse back onto the road when Hill called out ?Sam, keep your head down.' Garland tipped his cap and rode forward to his brigade.