Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/335

Rh developed, Jackson ordered Winder's brigade, the old Stonewall, through the woods on his left, overlapping the right flank of the Federal movement. The Thirty-third and Twenty-seventh Virginia regiments promptly engaged with the enemy that had scattered Taliaferro's men; the Twenty-seventh had to give way, but at this opportune moment Branch's brigade, of A. P. Hill's division, which Jackson had, by orders, been urging forward during the day, came up in gallant style and moved in on the right of the Stonewall brigade, extending its line to the road, and boldly pushing forward struck the flank of the victorious Federal column and hurled it in confusion to the rear. The left of the Stonewall brigade, at the same time, wheeled into action, and Crawford's men, yielding to the force of superior numbers, fled, under a destructive fire, across the wheat field to find refuge in the forest, whence he had advanced, and behind his reserves, which he, too late, had ordered into action. The brave Gordon promptly moved forward to save the day and attempted to check the Confederates; but Jackson, at that time, had extended his left with the brigades of Archer and Pender of Hill's division, and thrown his extreme left forward around the upper end of the wheat field, so that when Gordon advanced he found himself within a blaze of musketry, both in front and flank, and was forced in disorder from the field, after losing fully one-third of his men. A small battalion of Federal cavalry then charged down the Culpeper road to aid in saving a battery, but these were quickly repulsed. Of Jackson's routed men, some rallied on Walker's Thirteenth Virginia and others joined the fresh brigades moving in on the left, and took part in securing the victory.

The brigades of Geary and Prince, which extended Augur's line south of the road, were also swept away by the Confederate counterstroke, Early having joined in the forward movement along with Thomas, and borne an active part in turning the tide of victory. Ewell, on Jackson's right, watched the fierce contention from Slaughter's ridge, impatient to join in the fray; but the Confederate batteries, which, with their usual daring, were being pressed forward, not only to answer those of the enemy but to fire at short range into their lines of battle, so swept the field that he could not enter it without passing through their fire. When the direction of