Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 39.djvu/52

 40 Southern Historical Society Papers.

Cox's division had cleared Garland's command from its front, and it was followed by three other divisions under Wilcox, Sturgis, and Rodman, and this overwhelming force could have marched upon either road, with little opposition, for Gen. Hill had nothing but his little show of troops to meet them. For- tunately for us, their evident timidity caused them to delay, and in the meantime General Anderson arrived on the scene with his brigade of North Carolinians, and was immediately sent to the rescue. His first attack was repulsed, but charging again with more determination, and with the help of the skirmishers of Colquitt's brigade, under Capt. Arnold, on the enemy's right flank, they succeeded in driving the Federals back over some of the lost ground, and held them in check. It seems that General Ripley's brigade reached the field about this time, and was sent to Anderson's assistance, but by some mishap lost its way in thick brush, and never rendered any service unless perhaps in its marching around from place to place, it was seen by the Federals from the mountain top, and gave the impression that there was a large force in their front. Certainly the Federal force, alarmed by the attack of Anderson in front, and the fierce attack of Captain Arnold on the flank, and the appearance of Ripley's moving on the mountain side, fell back to the original line of Fox's Gap, and the whole of Gen. Reno's corps re- mained idle there, until the advance all along the Federal line was ordered by McClellan about three o'clock in the afternoon. During this attack in the morning at Fox's Gap, there was no advance on our center or left, but about three o'clock in the afternoon General McClellan ordered an advance of all his troops, and General Hooker's corps was moved to the right from the Hagerstown pike, and formed along the base of the mountain. Meade's division on his right, supported by Ricketts' division, was ordered to attack the left of our line, held by General Rodes and his brigade of Alabamians, only about 1,206 strong, and extended so far that his troops constituted not much more than a heavy skirmish line. Fortunately this bri- gade had arrived on the field in time to occupy the top of the