Those Confederates who survived the slaughter in the cornfield now fled before the Federal onslaught. Heading for West Woods, they had to clamber over the picket-and-rail fence bordering the Hagerstown Pike; many were shot in the attempt and lay spread-eagled across the fence or piled on either side.
One soldier recalled the hysterical excitement that now gripped the Union troops: The only thought was victory. Without regard for safety, they charged forward, loading, firing, and shouting as they advanced. In contrast were the fallen—as waves of blue-clad troops swept by, wounded men looked up and cried for aid, but there was no time to stop.
Cornfield Avenue, marking southern limit of “bloody cornfield.” Federals charged from right; Confederates counterattacked from left. From photograph taken on anniversary of battle, showing corn as it stood when the fighting began.
While Doubleday’s division charged through the cornfield, Rickett’s men, on the left of the attacking columns, pushed through the East Woods to its southern fringe. Capt. Dunbar Ransom’s battery broke from the cover of the East Woods and fired shot and shell into the staggering Confederate lines.
For more than an hour, the battlefront flamed along an extended semicircular line from the open fields of the Mumma farm northwest through the cornfield to the rocky ledges in West Woods. The fury of the Federal attack had carried Doubleday’s and Ricketts’ men deep into the Confederate line, and now Meade’s reserve brigades rushed forward.
In this critical stage, Jackson launched a driving counterattack. Hood’s men, supported by D. H. Hill’s brigades, battered the Federals back to the cornfield but were halted by the pointblank fire of Union guns in East Woods.
Mansfield Renews the Attack
As the remnants of Hooker’s command sought shelter under the cover of powerful Federal batteries in front of East Woods, a new threat faced the Confederates. Mansfield’s XII Corps, which had encamped more than a mile to the rear of Hooker during the night, had marched at the sound of Hooker’s opening guns. At 7:30 a.m., almost an hour and a half later, Mansfield’s force was approaching from the north in heavy columns.
Seeing Hooker’s plight, Mansfield now rushed to the forefront of his men, urging them to the attack. But his work was cut short by a Confederate ball; mortally wounded, he was carried from the field.