Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 4.djvu/288

270 General Gibbon, and Gregg’s cavalry. By the 24th, Hancock had destroyed the road nearly to Reams Station. This road was vital to the comfort of the Confederates. So A. P. Hill was directed to stop its destruction.

Hill took with him the North Carolina brigades of Scales, Lane, Cooke, MacRae, and in addition, McGowan’s and Anderson’s brigades, and two of Mahone’s. On Hill’s approach, Hancock formed behind some old intrenchments constructed in June. General Gibbon was posted in the left half of these, and General Miles occupied the right half. Gregg’s force was on the flank, and seems to have been partly dismounted and intrenched.

The first attack of Hill, about 2 o clock, seems to have been made only by the brigades of McGowan and Scales. They were repulsed. At 5 o clock, General Hill sent forward three North Carolina brigades, Cooke’s, Lane’s (under General Conner) and MacRae’s, to make a second attempt. Captain Graham in his Regimental History states that the combined strength of the three brigades was only 1,750. These brigades dashed forward with great spirit upon Miles line. Miles men made, in part, a good resistance. They were, however, forced to give way in confusion. General Cooke stated that the first colors planted on the captured works were those of the Twenty-seventh North Carolina in the hands of Sergt. Roscoe Richards. Gibbon s division was ordered to retake the works, but failed signally. Hampton, dismounting his men, attacked on the left and forced Gregg’s cavalry back to a new line that Hancock established.

This was one of the most brilliant events toward the close of that gloomy summer. General Hill s loss in killed and wounded was 720. He captured 12 stand of colors, 9 guns, and 3,100 stand of arms. General Lee, in a letter to Governor Vance, dated August 29th, writes: &quot;I have been frequently called upon to mention the services of North Carolina troops in this army, but their gallantry and conduct were never more deserving of admiration