on the morning of 3 july, captain ross and colonel fremantle made an inspection of the town of gettysburg itself, intending to get to the cupola of the seminary, which had been used by general john buford as a vantage point two days earlier. the commencement of the union bombardment stopped the two observers, and so they returned to longstreet's headquarters early in the afternoon. fremantle alone found the general sitting on a small fence. thinking that the battle was just getting under way, fremantle commented to longstreet that he 'wouldn't have missed this for anything'. longstreet wryly pointed out to his guest that the attack had already happened, and had been repulsed. longstreet asked if fremantle had anything to drink, at which the englishman made a gift to the general of his silver hip flask.