The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-07-23

Army Corps, under ReynOlds's direction
was advancing rapidly to the support OF
the Cavalry, and Cutler and the "IrOr
Brigade" under Morrow of Wadsworth's
division, soon took position in front OF
Seminary Hill.
Davis's brigade, which consisted that
day only Of the Fifty-fifth North Caro-
lima regiment, Col. Connolly, and two
Mississippi regiments. encountered Cut
ler's brigade. After Il stubborn contest
waged until Davis's men reached within
a few yards of their line. the Federals
were broken, and by Gen. Wadsworth's S
orders were temporarily retired to Semi
nary Hill. Archer was not so fortunate
as Davis. The Iron Brigade" advanc-
ing through wood that concealed it,
swept unexpectedly around 4Archers
right flank, captured him and many of
his men, and broke the brigade badly.
Archer out of the way, Gen. Doubleday,
who was directing operations after Gen.
Reynolds was killed. turned all his at
tention to Davis. The Federal reserves
were ordered in and struck Davis in the
flank as he was. says Gen. Doubleday,
.'pursuing Cutters brigade towards
town. This reserve consisted of three
regiments and 100 men of the Brigade
Guard. Gen. Doubleday says this re-
serve ''went forward with great spirit,
but was altogether too weak to assail
so large a force" charlottesville and
Gettysburg. page 1922 A little search
into the records would have shown Gen.
Doubleday that Gen. Davis, the only
officer on the field, had but three regi-
,poptc tona IF hiS pauinopfc wac in Viz
ginia) to meet his reserve three, and that
they had already lost very severely
while the Federal three and the Brigade
Guard had not been under fire. This
new attack fell on Dayis's front and
flank just rs he was preparing to retire,
and broke his line. This left the arriv-
ing brigades of Doublelay's division
free to form line of battle. Gen. Heth
reports that Col. Connolly and Maj. A.
II. Bele. of the North Carolina regiment
bore themselves with conspicuous gal
lantfy." Lieut. Col. Smith was killed.
The high spirit of Connolly and his
men is shown by an incident narrated
by Capt. c. NJ. Cooke of this regiment.
Col. Connolly, while the regiment was
advancing, seized the battle flag and
waved it enconragingly. He. was at
once shot down. Maj. Belo, who was
near him. sprang to his side, inqniring
whether he was much hurt. Yes an
swered the Colonel, "but do not pay any
attention to me. Take the colors and
keep ahead of the Mississippians."
After the repulse of Davis, a lull in
the battle occurred. Heth reformed his
lines. putting Arcller's brigade OH his
30 h. Iss Dnff i
CREWS brigade Of four North Carolina
regiments on Archers left. then Brock
enbrough's Virginia brigade to Petit
Crews left. Davis was placed on the
extreme left as a reserve, and to collect
his stragglers. Pender's division was
formed just behind Heth. Lanes brig
ade of North Carolinians on the right,
then Perrin in the center, and Scales's
North Carolinians on the left. Thomas's
brigade was retained by the Corps Com
nlander to meet threatened advance
from the left. Gen. Doubleday in his
book on Gettysburg again gets numbers
wrong. He says: ''As | had but four
weak infantry brigades at this time
against eight large brigades that were
about to assaii my lines, ! would have
been justified in falling back" Chan
celIorsville and Gettysburg 1882, page
134.) As Just seen the Confederates sent
in only six brigades. The six Confed-
crate brigades consisted of - regiments.
Doubleday's four brigades had only Is
regiments, it is true, but he had the
assistance Of Buford's two cavalry
brigades and horse artillery, and good
service they did him by dismounted
s..lf or i.all
Archers gallant brigade. There is no
reason to think that there was any great
disparity in the regimental strength OF
the contestants; hence any claim OF ex-
cessive numbers on the Confederate side
is inadmissibe. Moreover the position
Of the Federal troops. on the ridge ana
behind stonewalls, was worth several
regiments.
On the Federal side, Biddle faced Pet
tigrew, arm part Of Stones brigade and
grew and part Of Stones brigade and
Meredith fronted BrOckenbrOugh.
Stones men faced both north and west,
and were in formidable position on a
ridge and behind stone fence. To his
right was Cutler. and then Baxter and
Paul. These last two brigades, says
Gen. Hunt, ''t0ok post behind the stone
walls of II field" Baxter faced to the
west and Paul to the north. These then
were the posts Of the six infantry brig
AIDES of the First Corps, and formed the
left of the Federal line. Bnford's cav
airy was mainly on the left. TO their
right. the Eleventh Corps, under Gen.
Howard, took posts as it arrived on the
field. Gen. Schurz's two brigades under
Schimmelfenng and KrZyzanowski,
were on Reynolds immediate right, and
Barlow's two. under Giles and Ames
formed the extreme Federal right.
While these troops were getting into
battle order, Gen. Ewells Corps was ar
irving and arraying itself on the Con-
federate left. Rodes's division. the first
to reach the field, formed on Heth's left.
Iverson's North Carolina brigade occu-
pying his right, O'Neal his centre, and
Doles his left. Danial with his North
Carolina brigade supported lverson and
had instruction to attack on his right if
opportunity arose. Ramseur's four
North Carolina regiments were held in
reserve. When Early's division report
"a - ,,ant into oct;an with G0r1On On