Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 40.djvu/215

Rh Brockenbrough's command, and two others, Lawton under Atkinson, and Early under Walker, all of Early's division, rushed with a yell upon the enemy, as they advanced he saw Gen. Gregg, and as they swept by him, driving the enemy before them, the old hero, unable to speak, unable to stand alone, raised himself to his full height by a small tree, and, with cap in hand, waivedwaved [sic] them forward. It seemed that he had heard them as he lay mortally wounded and speechless, and as the fires of his patriotism dying out with the wasting energies of life were rekindled by the shouts of his comrades, he raised himself, cheered them on and died. Wolf, when told, as he lay wounded and dying, that the enemy fled, said, "I die contented." Gregg, with the rebel shout in his ears, which told him that a disaster had been converted into a victory, died in exultation.

This brigade, led by the dashing Hoke, seconded by the gallant Oates, who afterwards lost his arm before Richmond, swept everything before them, and as the Federals ran and massed in front of the 21st N. C., the "Tar Heels," says Col. Oates, mowed them down in files, and that charge made Hoke brigadier general, though it nearly cost him his life. His horse was stricken down by a shell; this threw Hoke, leaving one foot in the stirrup. The horse recovered and ran, dragging him some distance, until he was rescued by Col. Oates and his men.

Gregg's brigade, consisting of four regiments and one company of rifles, were under Col. Hamilton, and joined in the repulse of the enemy. Lawton's brigade, under Col. Atkinson, first encountered the enemy, followed on the right and left by Trimble and Hoke and Early under Col. Walker. Talliafero's division moved forward at the same time on Early's left, and his right regiment, the 2d Va., belonging to Paxton's brigade, joined in the attack. The enemy was pressed back to the line of the railroad embankment. They were here reinforced by Gibbons and Doubleday, but Hoke and Atkinson charged again and drove them back across the plains to their guns, inflicting great slaughter and capturing many prisoners. In this charge