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Chapter 25
July 4, 1863
On the left flank of the Confederates, the day began to take a turn for the worse for the rebels after an uneventful morning spent by the Union corps led by Henry Slocum and Oliver Howard with the deployment delayed by the crossing of a river. Although Ewell's corps outnumbered the nearly 18,000 Yankees by about a thousand men, the commander seemed to have lost much of the esprit that had enabled him to capture a full division at Winchester just a few weeks earlier. The fact that there had been fierce fighting to his right since daybreak, and that he could hear the noise all the way to his headquarters, but not a single Yankee appeared before him, caused Ewell to lose his nerve. After one of Rodes' outposts reported that he had spotted Union cavalry in the north, the corps Commander was convinced his position would be flanked. After giving Rodes concurring orders, Ewell rode to his southernmost division, Edward Allegheny Johnson's, to ask him personally to withdraw his left flank. Just then, however, the Union forces had completed their lineup and Edward Muhlenberg's artillery brigade of Slocum's corps began firing on the Confederate lines from some eastern hills. One of the first projectiles fired, a shrapnel charge, exploded right in front of the spot where Ewell and Johnson were debating the realignment of the latter's infantry. While Johnson's right leg was torn off below the knee, a piece of metal hit Ewell right in the mouth. Both generals went down, one of them badly wounded and the other one dead on the spot. This event, the abrupt breakdown of the chain of command, combined with the unnerving sight of two Union Corps advancing as if on parade, put Johnson's division in such disarray that it fell back. There was nothing Robert Rodes could do but follow the backward movement, otherwise he would have run the risk of being worn down.
When the news reached Jubal Early, who commanded the reserve division of Ewell's Corps, only minutes later, every moment counted. Without hesitation, Early ordered his brigade commander John Gordon to take over the division while he set out to regroup the rest of the corps. When he reached Johnson's leaderless men, Early began to rant and curse in his own way. He was so loud and self-confident that first the men around him and soon the entire division stopped retreating. He ordered the first brigadier general he could make out, George Maryland Steuart, to take command of the division and to turn back immediately to regain the lost ground. Rodes was to cooperate with him and Gordon was ordered to lead his men forward as well, except for a brigade to observe the enemy cavalry.
Slocum and Howard were caught completely offguard by the suddenly returning Confederates. Steuart relentlessly drove his men, including the old Stonewall Brigade, forward, crashing like a hammer into the ranks of Alpheus Williams' and John Geary's divisions. But they held their ground for the time being. On the far left Robert Rodes met Oliver Howard. Adolph von Steinwehr's Division fought fiercely and did not yield a single yard of ground. Where the battle raged most fiercely, Colonel Edward O'Neal fell at the head of Rodes old brigade. Carl Schurz's division, the link between Slocum and Howard, also held up surprisingly well. Several attacks by Alfred Iverson's and Junius Daniel's brigades were repelled with heavy losses. Finally Rodes ordered young Stephen Ramseur to lead his reserve unit to attack. The energetic Ramseur broke deep into the Union ranks and caused them to fall back. When Schurz tried to gather his men by his personal example, he was shot off his horse and his division broke apart. Like dominoes, Slocum's divisions were forced to retreat as a result, while Steinwehr steadily fought his way northeast. Gordon's fresh division replaced Rodes and Steuart in the pursuit of the fugitives and took hundreds of prisoners.
Maj. Gen. Jubal Early, CSA
Chapter 25
July 4, 1863
On the left flank of the Confederates, the day began to take a turn for the worse for the rebels after an uneventful morning spent by the Union corps led by Henry Slocum and Oliver Howard with the deployment delayed by the crossing of a river. Although Ewell's corps outnumbered the nearly 18,000 Yankees by about a thousand men, the commander seemed to have lost much of the esprit that had enabled him to capture a full division at Winchester just a few weeks earlier. The fact that there had been fierce fighting to his right since daybreak, and that he could hear the noise all the way to his headquarters, but not a single Yankee appeared before him, caused Ewell to lose his nerve. After one of Rodes' outposts reported that he had spotted Union cavalry in the north, the corps Commander was convinced his position would be flanked. After giving Rodes concurring orders, Ewell rode to his southernmost division, Edward Allegheny Johnson's, to ask him personally to withdraw his left flank. Just then, however, the Union forces had completed their lineup and Edward Muhlenberg's artillery brigade of Slocum's corps began firing on the Confederate lines from some eastern hills. One of the first projectiles fired, a shrapnel charge, exploded right in front of the spot where Ewell and Johnson were debating the realignment of the latter's infantry. While Johnson's right leg was torn off below the knee, a piece of metal hit Ewell right in the mouth. Both generals went down, one of them badly wounded and the other one dead on the spot. This event, the abrupt breakdown of the chain of command, combined with the unnerving sight of two Union Corps advancing as if on parade, put Johnson's division in such disarray that it fell back. There was nothing Robert Rodes could do but follow the backward movement, otherwise he would have run the risk of being worn down.
When the news reached Jubal Early, who commanded the reserve division of Ewell's Corps, only minutes later, every moment counted. Without hesitation, Early ordered his brigade commander John Gordon to take over the division while he set out to regroup the rest of the corps. When he reached Johnson's leaderless men, Early began to rant and curse in his own way. He was so loud and self-confident that first the men around him and soon the entire division stopped retreating. He ordered the first brigadier general he could make out, George Maryland Steuart, to take command of the division and to turn back immediately to regain the lost ground. Rodes was to cooperate with him and Gordon was ordered to lead his men forward as well, except for a brigade to observe the enemy cavalry.
Slocum and Howard were caught completely offguard by the suddenly returning Confederates. Steuart relentlessly drove his men, including the old Stonewall Brigade, forward, crashing like a hammer into the ranks of Alpheus Williams' and John Geary's divisions. But they held their ground for the time being. On the far left Robert Rodes met Oliver Howard. Adolph von Steinwehr's Division fought fiercely and did not yield a single yard of ground. Where the battle raged most fiercely, Colonel Edward O'Neal fell at the head of Rodes old brigade. Carl Schurz's division, the link between Slocum and Howard, also held up surprisingly well. Several attacks by Alfred Iverson's and Junius Daniel's brigades were repelled with heavy losses. Finally Rodes ordered young Stephen Ramseur to lead his reserve unit to attack. The energetic Ramseur broke deep into the Union ranks and caused them to fall back. When Schurz tried to gather his men by his personal example, he was shot off his horse and his division broke apart. Like dominoes, Slocum's divisions were forced to retreat as a result, while Steinwehr steadily fought his way northeast. Gordon's fresh division replaced Rodes and Steuart in the pursuit of the fugitives and took hundreds of prisoners.
Maj. Gen. Jubal Early, CSA
- Lothar
- Word Count: 670