Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 40.djvu/88

84 respective lines, and the right struck the centre of Williams' division while the left ran into the right of Lane's brigade. Receiving a cross fire from friend and foe, despite orders to the contrary, the advancing column opened fire, and dashed through the darkness at whatever might be in its front. Lane's left was not heavily engaged, but on his right he had difficulty in beating off two successive attacks. Slocum says that not being informed of Sickles' proposed attack, on hearing the firing he supposed the enemy was advancing on Williams' division, and he at once opened fire on them with his artillery, and Williams fired upon all lines that made their appearance in his front. The attack accomplished no results. Bigelow quotes from a private letter of General Williams written at the time this account of the night. "A tremendous roll of musketry fire, mingled with yellings and shoutings almost diabolical and infernal opened the conflict on the side of Sickles' division. For some time my infantry and artillery kept silent, and in the intervals of musketry, I could distinctly hear the oaths and imprecations of the rebel officers, evidently having hard work to keep their men from stampeding. In the meantime Sickles' artillery opened fire over the heads of the infantry, and the din of arms and inhuman yellings and curses redoubled. All at once Berry's division crossing the road on our right opened in heavy volleys, and Knipe commanding my right brigade next to the road on the south followed suit. Best began to thunder with his thirty odd pieces. In front and on the flank shell and shot and bullets were poured into the woods, which were evidently crowded with rebel masses preparing for the morning attack. Human language can give no idea of such a scene—such an infernal and yet sublime combination of sound and flame and smoke and dreadful yells of rage, of triumph or of defiance."

At 6 A. M., May 3d, Jackson's three divisions, now under command of Stuart, renewed the attack. The night had been spent by the Federals in strengthening the first line of works, which in front of Fairview stretched squarely across the road, and in erecting barricades behind these. The Federal centre was held by Williams' and Berry's divisions. Pender and Thomas