Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 08.djvu/210

198 men being without a cartridge. The reply of the gallant Gregg to a message of mine, is worthy of notice—"Tell General Hill that my ammunition is exhausted, but that I will hold my position with the bayonet." The enemy prepared for a last and determined attempt. Their serried masses, overwhelming superiority of numbers, and bold bearing, made the chance of victory to tremble in the balance; my own division, exhausted by seven hours' unremitted fighting, hardly one round per man remaining, and weakened in all things, save its unconquerable spirit. Casting about for help, fortunately it was here reported to me that the brigades of Generals Lawton and Early were near by, and, sending for them, they promptly moved to my front at the most opportune moment, and this last charge met with the same disastrous fate that had befallen those preceding. Having received an order from General Jackson to endeavor to avoid a general engagement, my commanders of brigades contented themselves with repulsing the enemy, and following them up but a few hundred yards.

During the night of the 29th, my brigades were engaged in refilling cartridge-boxes, and generally putting themselvethemselves [sic] in condition for the morrow's fight. *  *   *   *  Branch, Pender, Brockenbrough and Strong were brought from the front and placed in reserve.

On the 30th, about two o'clock, the enemy again made an attack along the whole line. The attack on my part of the line was gallantly resisted by Archer and Thomas—Gregg still holding the extreme left. This onset was so fierce, and in such force, that at first some headway was made, but throwing in Pender and Brockenbrough, their advance was again checked, and eventually repulsed with great loss. Later in the evening, I sent a message to General Jackson that I had ordered my whole line to advance, and it was approved, and he directed me to advance in echelon of brigades. This order was promptly carried out—Pender, Archer, Thomas and Branch steadily advancing. Branch on the extreme left, thrown considerably back, met no resistance, and Brockenbrough, on the extreme right, being separated by one or two of Taliaferro's brigades, advanced in conjuctionconjunction [sic] with them. Gregg and Forno (Hays' brigade) were held back to meet a threatened movement on my left. The three brigades of Pender, Archer and Thomas, however, held together, and drove everything before them, capturing two batteries, many prisoners, and resting that night on Bull run; and the ground thus won was occupied that night. These