Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/334

310 reserve on the right, while Green's remained guarding the left. It was plain to be seen, from the Federal line, that there was a wide gap in the open field between Early's right and the left of Ewell's other brigades. The Federals attempted to break Jackson's line through this opening; but Early, always quickly comprehending the wants of his position, had already asked for reinforcements to fill this space, and Jackson promptly furnished Thomas' brigade of A. P. Hill's division, and so made his line an unbroken front.

The Federal advance on the north of the road, that of Crawford's brigade, was more successful. Taliaferro's brigade held the road and the strip of woods to the south of it on Early's left, but with several batteries between, and extended a short distance north of the road along the edge of the forest and that of the wheat field. His line was prolonged to the left, in the woods, by Campbell's brigade. It was unfortunate that the brave and prudent Winder was not at this point to look after these brigades of his division. He had been mortally wounded by the fragment of a shell, just as the action commenced some hours before. Crawford, with his own and part of Gordon's brigade on the Federal right, soon emerged from the forest, and in gallant style swept across the wheat field, diagonally turning on his left, and struck first Campbell's brigade and then Taliaferro's, and drove them back in great confusion, thus threatening for the time to effectually turn Jackson's left and gain possession of his rear. The Confederate officers of the two brigades that had been flanked, aided by Jackson in person and all his staff, made heroic efforts to rally their men. Every regimental commander was either killed or wounded, and they met with but small success in their efforts, and the winning tide of Federal soldiery swept eastward across the road and struck Early's left, breaking or driving back the half of his brigade. The Thirteenth Virginia, under Col. James A. Walker, though forced back on Early's left, made a determined resistance, holding on to its organization, and became a check on the Federal attack. Early's right, parts of the Twelfth Georgia and the Fifty-second and Fifty-eighth Virginia (parts of Gen. Edward Johnson's old command on Alleghany mountain and at McDowell), held their ground and beat back the oncoming tide. As soon as this Federal attack