cavalry, comprising his own and Butler's division, nearly or quite four thousand strong, the very flower of the Southern horse, yet almost equally expert and daring when dismounted and fighting on foot. The first of the infantry to arrive were four brigades under Major-General Cadmus Wilcox. As Wilcox came up, Hampton drew his cavalry across the railroad, over against our left, and thereafter continued with great activity and audacity to threaten and deliver attacks upon Gibbon's and Gregg's positions, keeping our people closely engaged and continually stirred up. Wilcox, having formed his line, proceeded first to feel and then to assault Miles's works from the north and the northwest. The Confederates advanced with courage, but were resolutely met, and were at last driven back under cover, while Hampton's advance on his side was repelled by the steady action of our infantry and cavalry, and by the vigorous fire of Brown's and Werner's batteries. Among our losses in this collision was one most deeply regretted. Colonel James A. Beaver,* of Pennsylvania, had but a few minutes before rejoined the corps, from his severe Petersburg wound of June 16th, only to be struck down by a bullet, which broke his thigh and necessitated amputation. Three hours later this gallant and accomplished officer was sorely missed.

Thus far all had gone well, though the situation

* Subsequently Governor of his State.

was a threatening one. The collision that had taken place was clearly no casual encounter; nor was it likely that a small and unsupported force of Confederates would be found so far from their own lines. But only four miles away was Warren's left, where lay four Union divisions-Griffin's and Crawford's of the Fifth Corps, Willcox's and White's of the Ninth. This fact seemed to give assurance that no disaster would be likely to occur at Reams's from lack of supports. At 2.45 P. M. Hancock sent a telegram to Meade reciting the repulse of the Confederates. Meanwhile Meade addressed the following to Hancock, which was received by the hands of Captain Rosecrans a little after four o'clock:

HEADQUARTERS, FIFTH CORPS, 2.40 P. M. MAJOR-GENERAL HANCOCK: In addition to Mott's troops, I have ordered Willcox's division, Ninth Corps, to the plank road, where the Reams's Station road branches off. Willcox is ordered to report to you. Call him up if necessary. He will have some artillery with him. I hope you will be able to give the enemy a good thrashing. All I apprehend is his being able to interpose between you and Warren. You must look out for this. I hold some more of Warren's forces ready for contingencies. GEORGE G. MEADE."

At about three o'clock the Confederate General Heth came upon the ground with the head of his

column, comprising two brigades of his own division, two more from Mahone's division following. With Heth came eight guns from Pegram's battalion, under the personal command of that remarkable young officer. At once the Confederate chiefs began to make preparations to turn a repulse into a victory. Their guns were drawn up by hand, under cover of brush, to within a few hundred yards of our front, while the infantry was formed for assault at the northwest angle. The troops of all arms now under Hill numbered between thirteen and sixteen thousand. But the chief danger of the situation to Hancock's command was not in inferiority of numbers. It lay in the unfortunate location of the intrenchments, in which our troops had already been much shaken by the enfilade and reverse fire of the enemy's artillery, and, still more, in the weakened spirit of our men. Worn out by excessive exertions, cut up in a score of charges against intrenched positions, their better officers and braver sergeants and men nearly all killed or in hospital, regiments reduced to a captain's command, companies often to a corporal's guard this was the state to which four months of continuous campaigning upon the avowed policy of "hammering" had brought the old divisions of Richardson and Sedgwick. Already twenty-seven officers had fallen in command of brigades, one hundred and twenty-five in command of regiments.

Could the killed and wounded of but half an hour's fighting at Cold Harbor have been called back to the Second Corps on the 25th of August, Heth and Wilcox might have charged till the sun went down, and all to no purpose. Had Tyler, Brooke, McKeen, Haskell, McMahon, Byrnes, Morris, and Porter stood over the skeleton regiments at Reams's, the northwest angle would not have been carried, and Hill would have gone back to his intrenchments that night with none but his own colors and guns.

At twenty minutes past five, the arrangements for the grand attack having been completed, Pegram opened a terrific fire from the front at half-musket range; and all the batteries previously upon the field joined in the cannonade, which swept the whole space between our narrow lines and enfiladed or took in reverse our ill-constructed intrenchments. Twenty minutes later, the Confederate infantry advanced to the assault from the north and northwest, while Hampton threw his dismounted men forward from the south. For a while it seemed that, even at such disadvantages, our troops would beat the enemy off. The slashing Hancock had ordered done during the morning greatly retarded the advancing column, which consisted of the brigades of Cooke, McRae, Lane, and Scales, with Anderson's and three regiments of McGowan's in support, while a steady fire from the intrenchments swept away the leading companies. Five minutes more of

good conduct would have ended the conflict with a victory for our arms. But just at the critical moment a panic seized some of the regiments at the angle, which, by an unhappy fortune, consisted almost wholly of new recruits, poured into the corps. to fill the woeful gaps caused by the Wilderness and Spottsylvania battles. The enemy, seeing these troops give way, leaped the intrenchments and poured their fire right and left down the line upon those who still stood firm. Sleeper's Massachusetts battery, across the railroad, was captured entire, in spite of a stout resistance on the part of officers and men; Brown's Rhode Island battery, which was also across the railroad, met the same fate. A little later, the flushed and victorious enemy advanced upon Dauchey's (late McKnight's) Twelfth New York battery, along the return to the right, and, after a hand-to-hand fight with the gunners, took possession of his pieces one by one.

Such were the first results of Heth's charge. The enemy had, owing to the misconduct of a portion of the First Division, carried twelve hundred yards or more of our intrenchments, with twelve guns. Nor was the failure of duty confined to the First Division. The brigade from the Second Division commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Rugg,* though called upon by General Miles in person to

*

Rugg was subsequently dismissed the service for misconduct at the Boydton road.

REESA