Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 4.djvu/131

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CONFEDERATE MILITARY HISTORY.
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entirely surrounded at one time, but fought their way out with great gallantry.

With the breaking of Garland s brigade, the enemy had no one in his front. Colquitt’s brigade could not be moved from its important position, and Hill’s other brigades had not come up. General Hill, in desperation, ran two guns down from above, and, to give the appearance of infantry support, formed behind them a dismounted line of staff officers, teamsters, cooks and couriers. General Cox, however, did not know that he had an open front, and remained stationary. Half an hour later, Gen. G. B. Anderson arrived with his small North Carolina brigade. Anderson was sent to hold one of the two roads to the right of the turnpike, and nearer than the one on which Garland met his death. General Rosser with one regiment of cavalry and a few pieces of artillery occupied the other, and behaved gallantly during the day. Anderson made a gallant effort to recover the ground lost by Garland, but failed. Shortly after, Rodes brigade reached the field and was ordered to a commanding position considerably to the left of Colquitt. Ripley on arriving was directed to attach himself to Anderson’s left. Anderson, thus strengthened, moved the Second and Fourth North Carolina forward to see what was in his front, and the Fourth was fired into by a whole brigade, which, however, did not follow the Fourth as it moved back to its position. A skirmish line attack on Colquitt was driven back. While waiting for reinforcements, all Hill s available artillery was kept busy. General Cox, from his article in "Battles and Leaders," evidently thought that up to this time he had fought Hill’s whole division, whereas he had engaged only two brigades of it.

About 3:30 p. m., Col. G. T. Anderson s brigade and Dray ton s brigade, of Longstreet s corps, arrived after an exhausting march of fourteen miles from Hagerstown. These brigades were sent to Ripley s left, and took position in front of Cox. In some way, Ripley s brigade got