Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 14.djvu/531

 The Campaign from the Wilderness to Petershurg. 525

lieve Hill's two divisions with Longstreet's, and throw them farther to the left, to fill up a part of the great unoccupied interval between the plank road and Ewell's right, near the old turnpike, or use them on his right, as the occasion might demand. It was unfortunate that any of these troops should have become aware they were to be re- lieved by Longstreet. It is certain that owing to this impression, Wilcox's division, on the right, was not in condition to receive Han- cock's attack at early dawn on the morning of the 6th, by which they were driven back in considerable confusion. In fact, some of the brigades of Wilcox's division came back in disorder, but sullenly and without panic, entirely across the plank road, where General Lee and the gallant Hill in person helped to rally them. The assertion, made by several writers, that Hill's troops were driven back a mile and a half, is a most serious mistake. The right of his line was thrown back several hundred yards, but a portion of the troops still maintained their position. The danger, however, was great, and General Lee sent his trusted Adjutant, Colonel W. H. Taylor, back to Parker's store, to get the trains ready for a movement to the rear, He sent an aid also to hasten the march of Longstreet's divisions. These came the last mile and a half at a double-quick, in parallel col- umns, along the plank-road. General Longstreet rode forward with that imperturbable coolness which always characterized him in times of perilous action, and began to put them in position on the right and left of the road. His men came to the front of disordered battle with a steadiness unexampled, even among veterans, and with an elan which presaged restoration of our battle and certain victory. When they arrived the bullets of the enemy on our right flank had begun to sweep the field in the rear of the artillery pits on the left of the road where General Lee was giving directions and assisting General Hill in rallying and reforming his troops. It was here that the inci- dent of Lee's charge with Gregg's Texas brigade occurred. The Texans cheered lustily as their line of battle, coming up in splendid style, passed by Wilcox's disordered columns, and swept across our artillery pit and its adjacent breastwork. Much moved by the greet- ing of these brave men and their magnificent behavior. General Lee spurred his horse through an opening in the trenches and followed close on their line as it moved rapidly forward. The men did not perceive that he was going with them until they had advanced some distance in the charge ; when they did, there came from the entire line, as it rushed on, the cry, "Go back. General Lee! go back ! " Some historians like to put this in less homely words, but the brave