Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 08.djvu/503

Rh was rumbling up the road to our right. Soon after their artillery opened right and left, and Sickles' command rushed upon us with loud and prolonged cheering. They were driven back on the left by our skirmishers, but the fight was more stubborn on the right, which was the main point of attack. The Eighteenth and Twenty-eighth, and left wing of the Thirty-third, engaged them there, and gallantly drove them back, although they had outflanked us and encountered the two right companies of the Twenty-eighth, which had been deflected in anticipation of such a movement. A subsequent attack, made about half an hour later, was similarly repulsed. The Twenty-eighth captured a staff-officer, and the colors of the third Maine volunteers were taken by Captain Clark's company of the same regiment. The Eighteenth also captured an aid to General Williams. A number of field and company officers, and a large number of men were captured along our whole line. After the enemy were repulsed, General McGowan was ordered forward with his brigade, and took position on our right.

On Sunday morning, about sunrise, the whole brigade was wheeled a little to the left, that the line might be perpendicular to the Plank road, and then, in obedience to orders, it moved gallantly forward with shouts, driving the enemy's skirmishers, and handsomely charging and carrying their breastworks. The left of the Thirty-seventh}} passed entirely over the works, capturing a number of prisoners, and the gallant old Seventh eclipsed all of its former glories.

These works were on a hill, commanded by the Chancellorsville hill, which was fortified with a line of earth-works for twenty-eight pieces of artillery, running nearly parallel to our position, and between four hundred and five hundred yards distant, with a stream of water intervening. As soon as we had dislodged their infantry, these guns with others opened a murderous fire of shell, grape and canister upon us. A fresh column of their infantry was thrown against us, and, with our right flank completely turned, we were forced to fall back with the loss of about one-third of the command.

The Twenty-eighth regiment, commanded by its gallant young Colonel Lowe, fell back a few hundred yards, and was ordered to give assistance wherever needed, while I superintended the reforming of the rest of the brigade still further to the rear. Colonel Lowe informs me that the Twenty-eighth behaved well throughout the remainder of the day, that it made two more charges under the heavy artillery firing, and was led in each by Major General Stuart.

As soon as the rest of the brigade was reformed and replenished with ammunition, they were taken back into the woods to the left of the