Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 39.djvu/216

 204 Southern Historical Society Papers.

covered their retreat. I at once deployed a line of skirmishers and held this position until 12:35 P. M., when in obedience to orders from General Gibbon, I withdrew to the second line of intrenchments."

Colonel John C. Tidball, Chief Artillery, Hancock's Corps, page 510 of Records, says, "A'lay i8th moved from Harris' house to the deserted house, and Roder, Adams, and Rickett's to Landrum's. Sent Edgall's battery to Colonel Tompkins. Brown, Roder and Ames, in first line, silenced Rebel battery ; 12 M. still in position. Clark and Ricketts moved down to works on extreme right. Edgall already there with Birney's division."

General G. K. Warren, page 542 of Records, says, "May 18, 1864, whole army had moved off to our right to make an as- sault on the enemy, and I commenced a cannonade at daylight with 26 guns, as a diversion. This occasioned a brisk artillery duel between myself and Hill's Corps. Our forces found the enemy prepared and strongly posted on the right, and made no serious attack."

Colonel Charles S. Wainwright, Chief Artillery, Warren's Corps, page 644 of Records, says, "May 18, 1864. Second and Sixth Corps having returned to the right of the general line, and so uncovered the left, Hart's Bigelow's and Walcott's bat- teries of light 12 pounders were posted in the neighborhood of the Anderson house to protect that flank, should the enemy at- tack there. Before daylight Rittenhouse's battery was pushed forward on the pike to our advanced works, 1,400 yards from the Courthouse, and was joined by Taft's (Fifth New York Independent) battery of six 20 pounder Parrotts, which had temporarily joined the brigade the night before, and Sheldon's battery, making 14 guns, under command of Major Fitzhugh. At the same time Captain Cooper, with his own, Breck's and Phillips' batteries, making 12 three-inch guns, was posted on a sharp knoll to the front, and some 1,400 yards to the left of Major Fitzhuglvs line, making an angle of about 60 degrees with it. The position of all these batteries was excellent. The