Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 13.djvu/235

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send after them at night. Major Page, whom he instructed to get them, left the duty to an orderly sergeant, who failed to find them, and they were again allowed to fall into the enemy's hands. As it was unadvisable to continue efforts to retake the salient with the force at my command, a new line was laid out during the day by General Lee's Chief Engineer some eight hundred yards in rear of the first, and constructed at night. After midnight my forces were quietly withdrawn to it and artillery placed in position. But his efforts and losses on the i2th seemed to have exhausted the enemy, and all was quiet till the i8th May, when a strong force advanced past the Mc- Coull house toward our new line. When well within range General Long opened upon them with thirty pieces of artillery, which with the fire of our skirmishers broke and drove them back with severe loss. We afterwards learned that they were two fresh divisions, nearly ten thousand strong, just come up from the rear.

On the i Qth May General Lee directed me to demonstrate against the enemy in my front, as he believed they were moving to his right, and wished to ascertain. As they were strongly entrenched in front, I obtained leave to move around their right. After a detour of several miles through roads impassable for my artillery, I came on the enemy prepared to receive me. My force was about six thousand, his much larger. His position being developed and my object attained, I was about to retire when he attacked me. Part of my line was shaken, but Pegram's brigade, of Early 's division (Colonel Hoffman commanding), and Ramseur's, of Rodes', held their ground so firmly that I maintained my position till nightfall, then withdrew unmolested. My loss was about nine hundred, killed, wounded and missing. Next day General Early returned to his division, and Gen- eral Gordon was put in command of one composed of his own brigade and the remnants of Johnson's division. Hoke's brigade (Colonel Lewis commanding), returned to Early 's division, and the Twenty- first Georgia regiment to Doles' brigade. We moved to Hanover Junction, where my corps took the right of the line. After some days' skirmishing we marched towards the Totopotomoy. When we removed, I reported to the general commanding, that in conse- quence of a severe attack of diarrhoea, I would leave General Early in command while the troops were on the march, and on Friday I rode in an ambulance to Mechanicsville, remaining in my tent Satur- day and Sunday, the 28th and 2Qth May. On Sunday I reported that I would be on duty in two days more, and sent a certificate of Staff-Surgeon McGuire to the same effect. The commanding general