Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 04.djvu/170

162 destructive fire of cannister, grape, and shell from six pieces of their artillery on the mountain alluded to, and the same number on a commanding hill but a short distance to the left of the mountain, and from the enemy's sharp-shooters from behind the numerous rocks, fences, and houses in the field. As we approached the base of the mountain General Law moved to the right, and I was moving obliquely to the right to close on him, when my whole line encountered the fire of the enemy's main line posted behind rocks and a stone fence. The Fourth and Fifth Texas regiments, under the direction of their gallant commanders, Colonels Powell and Key, while returning the fire and driving the enemy before them, continued to close on General Law to their right. At the same time the First Texas and Third Arkansas, under their gallant commanders, Lieutenant-Colonel Work and Colonel Manning, were hotly engaged with a greatly superior force, while at the same time a heavy force appeared and opened fire on Colonel Manning's left, seriously threatening his left flank; to meet which, he threw two or three companies, with their front to his left flank, and protected his left. On discovering this heavy force on my left flank, and seeing that no attack was being made by any of our forces on my left, I at once sent a courier to Major-General Hood stating that I was hard pressed on my left, that General McLaws' forces were not engaging the enemy to my left, which enabled him to move fresh troops from that part of his line down on me, and that I must have reinforcements. Lieutenant-Colonel Work, with the Fifth Texas regiment, having pressed forward to the crest of the hill and driven the enemy from his battery, I ordered him to the left to the relief and support of Colonel Manning, directing Major Bass, with two companies, to hold the hill, while Colonel Work, with the rest of the regiment, went to Colonel Manning's relief. With this assistance, Colonel Manning drove the enemy back and entered the woods after him, when the enemy reoccupied the hill and his batteries in Colonel Work's front, from which Colonel Work again drove him. For an hour and upwards, these two regiments maintained one of the hottest contests against five or six times their number that I have witnessed. The moving of Colonel Work to the left to relieve Colonel Manning, while the Fourth and Fifth Texas were closing to the right on General Law's brigade, separated these two regiments from the others.