Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 4.djvu/56

40 But there is no reason to put the Federal regiments as low as 614. On the 3ist of January, Burnside reported present for duty, 12,829. It is hardly probable that a month later, with no serious battle intervening, and, so far as reported, no detachments, that it would number less than 10,000 men.

On the 13th of March, General Burnside landed his forces at Slocomb’s creek, and on that same day marched to within striking distance of the Confederate lines. On the 14th the attack opened by Foster moving on the Confederate left, between Fort Thompson and the rail road. At the same time Reno moved against Vance’s position, on the right, and Parke followed up the railroad in the center to support either Foster or Reno at need. The Federal gunboats all the morning vigorously shelled the earthworks. Foster s front attack on the left was easily repelled for some hours. But on the right, General Reno with Lieutenant-Colonel Clark, of the Twenty-first Massachusetts, found the break at the brickyard and gallantly charged in, and then turned to the right on the Confederate militia posted there under another Colonel Clark. The militia, raising the cry that they were flanked, retreated in confusion, and unfortunately the Thirty-fifth, under Colonel Sinclair, &quot;very quickly,&quot; says General Branch, &quot;followed their example, retreating in the utmost disorder.&quot; Avery s regiment of reserves was ordered to the brickyard, and with Vance s regiment made a determined stand. In speaking of the bravery of these two regiments, Colonel Clark, of the Massachusetts regiment, says in his official report: &quot;They were the best armed and fought the most gallantly of any of the enemy s forces. . . . They kept up an incessant fire for three hours, until their ammunition was exhausted and the remainder of the rebel forces had retreated.&quot; Into the gap in the Confederate line, left by the retreat of the militia and the Thirty-fifth, Reno poured his forces, and they thus turned the whole right of the