Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 12.djvu/539

 Reunion of Virginia Division A. N. V. Association. 529

Two divisions of Confederates had been nearly destroyed. Two corps of Federals had been exhausted. Burnside still stood motion- less in front of the bridge, less than a mile and a half from the only road to Virginia, accessible to Lee for reinforcement or retreat. In front of him was Toombs, with three Georgia regiments and Jenkins's brigade. From his position he could see every movement of the Confederates, and each detail of the struggle on the left. Between 9 and 10 o'clock he attempted to carry the bridge by assault, and up to I o'clock made four other feeble attacks, all of which were repulsed by the Second and Twelfth Georgia, numbering in all four hundred men. He threatened, but he forebore to strike.

At 9 o'clock begins the third scene of this battle; Lee's right retaining its position to watch Burnside ; his centre standing fast to look after Fitz John Porter across the Keedysville Bridge; his left, D. H. Hill; then Hood, and then Early, who had just come in from Stuart, with one thousand muskets, were awaiting the next blow which should fall on them. Sumner, with the Second corps, had started at 7.20 A. M. to support Hooker. He was then east of the Antietam. His corps consisted of the divisions of Richardson, Sedgewick and French, mustering thirteen thousand six hundred and four men. He crossed at a ford below Pry's Mill, Sedgwick in front, then French, then Richardson. As soon as Sedgewick cleared the ford he moved his three brigades in parallel columns, heading straight for the east woods. In the woods they were faced to the left, thus forming three parallel lines moving west. They moved across the cornfield, over the open field beyond into the west woods, in full march beyond Jackson's left, then held by Early with his own brigade, and the men under Grigsby and Stafford.

While they moved down to turn Lee's flank, Greene, who had been resting for an hour or more, pushed straight from the east woods toward the Dunkard church in the interval between Hood and Early. Early reported to Jackson that the force was moving toward his flank and asked for reinforcements. Then Greene came out of the east woods. A battery took position near the Dunkard church, firing on Hood, and the gap between Early and Hood was in fact filled by Greene, who had thus inserted himself in the interval. Early had Sedgewick on his front and left flank, cutting him off from retreat to the river; Greene was in his rear and right flank, cutting him off" from the rest of the army. The battery was firing two hundred yards from his right and in rear of it, and the infantry of Greene was push- ing on by the battery. General Early says that " the movements of 7