They fired in volleys at first, and then at will; but they did their work most heroically. None flinched; none fled. The rebels pushed forward their flushed troops; but these gallant fellows stormed them with bullets, and, assisted by the brigades of Gibbons and Patrick, repelled the assault. Jackson’s line suffered severely, and a large number of field officers were killed in vain attempts to rally them. The rebels fell back again to the woods from which they had come, and again this part of the line was safe. There had been a terrible loss in the gallant brigade which held the brow of the hill, and General Hartsuff was severely wounded early in the action.
The general of the corps had saved his line in this place—had brought a success out of a reverse; but his brain was still active. Batteries rushed like a train of meteors over the field, obedient to his ready thought. Messages of varied import came to him from division commanders. Ricketts was hard pressed—could barely hold his position; and a portion of Mansfield’s corps was sent to his aid. The venerable soldier went with two of his brigades; but he was mortally wounded, and was borne to the rear.
“Go to that regiment on the right, Captain Somers, and tell the colonel not to let his men break on any account,” said the general.
Somers dashed away, and stood before broken fragments of a regiment, with hardly a commissioned officer left in the line. They were noble and brave fellows, and they were yielding only when there seemed to be no one left to lead them. They were giving way, and making a gap in the line, through which the desperate rebels could burst, and overwhelm the column.
The staff officer saw at a glance the state of the case. He blamed not the men; it was the fault of the cowardly officer upon whom the command had devolved. He was weak and inefficient; at least he was not man enough for such a trying emergency.
“The general desires to hold this line, at all hazards,” said Somers, saluting the officer. “Where is the general of this brigade?”
“He has got his hands full yonder,” replied the captain in command of the regiment.
“You must hold this position without fail.”
“Can’t hold it.”
“Yes, you can!” exclaimed Somers, fiercely.