Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 27.djvu/203

 Florida Brigade at Ghttyibwrg. I'.t >

being confined chiefly to Archn 's brigade. When Longstreet ar- I, \ve were advanced to the front and posted on the right of town, in full view of the enemy's batteries, strongly posted beyond an open field, om- mile in our front. While taking this position, Wilcox engaged three or four regiments of the enemy posted in a wood on our right, but after a fight of ten or fifteen minutes, the 9th Alabama drove them back, and we received orders to hold our position, without pressing the enemy, until Longstreet could come into position on our right. He came into position and engaged the enemy about 3 P. M., our line being similar to the one formed in the rear of Fredericksburg after the Chancellorsville fight that is, Long- street on the right, and Ewell on the left, almost confronting each other, and forming nearly a right angle, with Hill in the centre; we received orders to conform our lines to Longstreet' s movements and advance with him. About 4:30 P. M., Longstreet having advanced to Wilcox, he swung his right forward and advanced. As soon as his left reached my right, I conformed to the movement, and advanced at double-quick upon the strongly fortified position in front, exposed to artillery and musketry fire from the start. Our men suffered ter- ribly, but advanced nobly to the charge. About half-way across the field the enemy had a line of batteries strongly supported by infantry. We swept over these r without once halting, capturing most of the guns and putting the infantry to rout with great loss. Indeed, I do not remember having seen anywhere before, the dead lying thicker than where the Yankee infantry attempted to make a stand in our front.

14 Pressing rapidly on after the flying Yankees, we arrived behind a small growth of timber, at the foot of the heights. Here I called a halt, in order to allow the men to catch breath and re-form our line, before charging a battery and infantry in our front, and below the heights. While reforming my line, a heavy column was thrown against Wilcox, forcing him back. I held my ground until the enemy had advanced more than one hundred yards to my rear, and were about to cut off my retreat, when I gave the order to fall back. Unfortunately, there was no ground which afforded any protection, short as the place from which we had advanced ; and we were compelled to give up all the ground we had gained. This, however, was never afterward occupied by the enemy in force, although his pickets re- occupied most of it that night. In this charge Major Moore and Captain Ballantine were wounded, and left upon the field; the former seriously, the latter not so badly. Captain Gardner also lost an arm,