Excerpts

Excerpts from

Path of Blood: The True Story of the 33d New York Volunteers

Chapter Four

"It is a hard looking place to take"

"The grand scene was soon replaced by a not so inspiring rain and the going became slow and tedious in the thick Virginia mud. The 33d's division led the left column, which had taken the James River Road. About 11:00 a.m. the brigade ran into Rebel pickets about four miles from Young's Mills, on Deep Creek. Driving the pickets back about a mile and a half, they finally came upon some fortifications. General Davidson sent his aide-de-camp, 33d New York Lieutenant William Long, up a nearby tree to observe the defenses. Long spotted two regiments moving down upon the brigade's left flank. Davidson threw the 49th New York back at an obtuse angle to face them, but the Confederates never appeared. Apparently satisfied that the Yankees were not going anywhere for a while, the Rebels simply kept up a steady, harassing artillery fire. About 7 p.m., the brigade was withdrawn about a mile and threw out pickets. As the Rebels continued tossing shells around, the New Yorkers found several Confederate campsites filled with edibles which, according to Lieutenant Brennan, "made a good supper for the men". As the Federals feasted, the Rebels’ plan to stall them was already working.

Company D was one of those assigned to the picket line. Shortly after arriving, Captain Henry Gifford was passing along a line of stacked muskets belonging to the picket's reserve, when several of them fell over. In spite of orders, one was still loaded and when it struck the ground, it went off, striking Gifford in the left hand. The ball passed through near the first joint of the forefinger. The painfully wounded officer did not leave his post, but dressed it as best he could, and remained on duty. Several hours passed before the company was relieved and Gifford could have Dr. Mulford re-dress the wound. To his chagrin, the surgeon sent him to the army hospital at the old Hygeia Hotel near Fortress Monroe. Later in April, writing from the hospital, the lonely Captain encouraged his worried son,

I knew that my little boy would be sorry that his papa had been shot, but it does not hurt papa much, and he will soon be well. He hopes to see his little boy before long and then what a nice time we will have together....Do you remember how we used to play at 'hide and seek'? Papa often thinks of you and wonders what you are doing. Sometimes I think I can see you out in the yard playing with your old wheel barrow or else helping to make a garden and I sometimes think I can hear you laugh as you are running after the dog. But papa is a long way off and he only imagines this. When the war is over papa hopes he will never have to leave his little boy again.

Though he soon returned to duty, Gifford's wound would never completely heal and later in life, he lost most of the use of his hand.

The men were awakened at sunrise, by showers of cannister which fell about the brigade's camps, sending them scrambling for cover. When, the firing subsided, the 33d and the 7th Maine were deployed in front as skirmishers and the brigade began inching forward through the dense woods and small creeks. Shortly before Noon, they came across Rebel pickets and a sharp skirmish ensued. The pickets slowly fell back, exchanging occasional shots until the 33d and 7th halted before an open field about 3:00 p.m. About 500 yards away lay a heavily-manned line of earthworks which soon opened up with artillery. As artillery fire rained down, the rest of the brigade drew up in line.

They had arrived at Lee's Mills, on the Warwick River, a few miles west of Yorktown. First Lieutenant Reuben C. Niles of Company H remarked:

[The Rebels] immediately retreated, firing, our forces driving them back until...they reached their fortifications, five miles beyond Warwick Court House, consisting of two forts, entrenchments, rifle-pits, &c. They opened fire on us with shell and cannister...That one immediately killing a member of the 7th Maine.

According to Lieutenant Robert H. Brett of Company C, that one man was killed by a shell which passed right through him. The 7th Maine and Companies A and B of the 33d were again sent out as skirmishers and pickets, each man finding a suitable tree to hide behind, which were thankfully plentiful. At first, it seemed the Confederates' aim was off as most of the damage was done to the trees above. Sometimes, the shells didn’t even explode, but stuck into the tree trunks and "some of the big pines began to look like pin-cushions with the long cylindrical missiles sticking into them." The men soon realized that this was being done in the hope that falling branches and trunks would do the required damage. Fortunately, only two men in the brigade were killed, and that by direct shellfire.

Company C was tasked with supporting sections of Captain Charles Wheeler's 1st New York and Lieutenant Andrew Cowan's 1st New York Independent batteries, which had begun throwing shells into the Rebel works. The first platoon was deployed out at intervals in front of two of the forts and in full view of the Rebels, to act as skirmishers and report anything that they might see.

The Confederates responded with a hail of shells. Saplings snapped like pipe stems and huge limbs were severed from tall oaks, flying in every direction. At one point, a ball struck a limber about "six rods" from Brett's second platoon, exploding twenty-nine shells and two case-shots. Gun crewman Sergeant David Smith and Artificer James Hickox rushed up and threw a bucket of water over the remaining shells, and Private William Kershner yanked the smoldering chest out, preventing more shells from exploding, to the relief of everyone who had fallen to the ground awaiting the worst. Second Lieutenant Lucis Mix of Company C, the future illustrator for David Judd's history of the 33d, wisely "made himself as small as possible...by dropping to the ground and embracing Mother Earth quite affectionately until the display of fireworks were over."

The Rebels noticed the "fireworks" as well. According to Lieutenant Brett, upon seeing the exploding ammunition, many Confederates jumped up on the parapets and "yelled and danced at the prospect...of the great extermination of the Yankees. They soon changed their tune, however, for [Wheeler's battery] sent four shells, one after another among them, which seemed to settle their tea for that day."

While in his advanced position, Lieutenant Brett noticed Generals Keyes, Smith and "another person, dressed as a Private" on horseback nearby. As Brett watched the three engage "in earnest conversation," he suddenly recognized that the "Private" was Major General George McClellan, who "gave us to understand...that we were getting into close quarters, and ordered the main part of our forces back, leaving nothing but a picket, till we were better prepared to occupy a position near the enemy." Seeing that they could not dislodge each other, the two forces settled down for the night. As the bulk was returning to camp, the Rebels threw a few more shells at them, just to let them know that they knew where they were.

That night was another cold, rainy one. Exhausted from the excitement of the day, Lieutenant Brennan "built a big fire and I laid down by it and slept till morning." About 8:00 a.m., the 33d sent out four companies, including Lieutenant Niles' Company H, to relieve the 7th Maine. The enemies were often in plain sight and often took pot shots at each other. Occasionally, amidst the real gunfire, they would fire some less harmful verbal rounds. The lieutenant explained,

At intervals the firing would cease, and conversation on different topics would be indulged in. Many jokes were cracked by the rebs and Yankees. When one of our men inquired about Fort Donelson [the scene of a recent Rebel defeat --ed.], Mr. Reb could not 'see the point,' and replied by discharging his piece at the tree which covered the inquisitive Yankee. Then would the balls whiz over our heads 'right smartly.'

Lieutenant Brett added,

At intervals, or whenever they stopped shooting at each other, they kept up a conversation with the Rebels. This placed our humorous friend, Dick Van Dusen, right in his element and he got off some pretty good things at the expense of our chivalrous Southern friends...One fellow asked is if we had any wooden nutmegs to sell. At this, one of our men sent a bullet among them, with the remark that there was one, asking how they liked it.

Henry Eastman noted that another Rebel asked the same question of one of his comrades, who answered that "he would send him a specimin made of lead and hit him in the head killing him instantly." "G" learned from his opponents that they were facing the 8th, 9th and 10th Georgia Volunteers. That night, the Confederates kept up a slow, harassing artillery fire, the rest of the men lay on their arms, thinking about the fighting that lay before them. For the 33d New York and the Georgians, it was the beginning of a very long "relationship".

The next morning, the Confederates issued a wake-up call. An amused Lieutenant Brett noted,

[A]as daylight began to make its appearance, the enemy on the other side of the water opened the ball by crowing like so many cocks all along the line. Upon hearing this the men immediately began opening their cartridge boxes. One of the Rebels finally cried out, 'Hello, you abolition Yankees over there. Wake up!' "I am sorry I can't come over there and bid you good morning," someone replied. Firing his musket at the earthworks, he added, "Here's my card."

The cocky Rebel responded, "Too high and too far to the left," and so the morning went until about 11:00 a.m., when Brett's company was finally released from picket.

For two nights, the brigade remained out in front under a continuous artillery fire and violent rain storms. In fact, they were under constant fire for a total of 54 hours. Dr. Stevens of the 77th noted, "We at length became so accustomed to the continual skirmishing, that unless the firing was in fierce volleys we took no notice of it." General Davidson appreciated the extremely dangerous situation the regiment was in, reporting "[C]ompany [B] of the Thirty-third New York--the later under Lieutenant-Colonel Corning--were much exposed to the fire of the enemy's rifle pits while we lay in position." Fourth Corps commander General Keyes added, "As will be seen by the list of casualties, Davidson's brigade suffered far more than any other of this corps. The conduct of that brigade...was excellent."

General Keyes, now mistakenly convinced he faced a large force, reported to McClellan that he would be unable to reach Halfway House on time, and needed help from reserve forces just to get past Lee's Mill. He added that troops were seen moving into position behind the Warwick River south of the mill and there was little hope of turning them back without "an enormous waste of life." As a result, the Corps' movement ground to a halt. What the Federals actually ran into was the beginning of one of the most ingenious ruses of the war. Knowing that he did not have nearly enough troops to prevent the army from moving up the peninsula, Magruder decided to convince McClellan and his generals that they were facing far more troops than there were. Constantly moving his small numbers around, making lots of noise, setting up Quaker guns, and generally doing whatever he could to make his forces appear many times their actual number, Magruder bought valuable time for Richmond. Indeed, it would work better than he could have hoped. Not only did he slow the advance down, in one of the costliest decisions of the war, McClellan now halted his army near the extensive, but poorly-manned fortifications near Yorktown. Convinced by his intelligence network under Alan Pinkerton that he was vastly outnumbered, the army commander ordered his troops to "dig in" and wait for big siege guns to arrive. "Little Napolean", as some would begin to call him, had blinked and, believing that thousands of his men would be killed in an all-out assault, decided instead to conduct a classic European-styled siege.

On April 9, 250 men of the 33d were detailed to proceed to the rear and retrieve rations as the rain had made it impossible to bring up the supply wagons. After several hours they returned, each one bearing upon his fixed bayonet a piece of meat, Lieutenant Colonel Corning humorously issuing orders to "shoulder beef" and "present beef". The men had a hearty laugh over their antics, and the detail was ever afterwards known as the "Beef Brigade"...

Back in Geneva, New York, little William Suydam wanted to get back to the "excitement" in the worst way. Compared to what William experienced in Washington, Geneva’s quiet was almost painful. On the 26th, he lobbied his father hard, writing,

Mother say that if you want me she will Gladly consent to have me go if I might do you any good at all and I can assure you that I would like to come...I will do anything that you want me to do. It is so dull here in geneva there is not any excitement here at all...

On May 2, William tried again. Still exhibiting an innocence of the reality of war, he wrote,

I though I would sit down to wrote to you to night as I have nothing else to do. it has been raining hard pretty near all day and the consequence is that it has been very dull in [Hiram’s] Store...there is nothing there for me to do nor is there any other time...if I was down to Fortress Monroe I would be working and I long to...Mother gives her consent for me to go...when I read about your being in that Skirmish [at Dam No. 1] with the enemy I felt as if I would like to be where you was and so I could tell whether I would like war or not...I think I should like it...at any rate I should like to try it. Yours truly hoping that you will send for me soon

W. H. Suydam

Chapter 5

Like so many devils

[Lieutenant Colonel Joseph W.--33d NY] Corning walked out of the fort looking for Hancock to see if he had noticed the new threat to the Union left. He found him sitting on a pile of lumber, a few feet from the entrance. As he approached, a staff officer was saying, "Well General, I will go over again, and see it they won’t send over reinforcements, or at least let you remain here all night." Hancock snapped back, "It would be the height of folly for me to remain here all night unless I am reinforced." As the officer departed, Corning now realized that Hancock had been ordered back across the creek. Disgusted with this turn of events, he walked back into the redoubt and went over to the color guard.

Suddenly the woods on the far right in front of the farm buildings erupted with musket-fire. As Corning looked at the woods, he saw enemy infantry emerge from two different places. "I knew it meant us," he wrote, and ran back out of the redoubt to see if Hancock had seen them.

Almost all afternoon Wheeler’s and Cowan’s guns had been allowed to shell the Confederate positions without response. Now, the Rebels weren’t putting up with it any longer. Sumner's delays had given them plenty of time to call back the brigade of Brigadier General Jubal Early, consisting of the 5th and 23d North Carolina, and the 24th and 38th Virginia, which had been marching away from Williamsburg, to deal with the threat. About 5:00 p.m., the Confederates arrived on the extreme left of Fort Magruder and were told that the Yankees had at least one battery firing into the Fort. Major General Daniel Hill soon arrived and, along with Early, got the men organized. They soon stepped off toward Hancock's right flank.

Arriving at the northwest end of the woods, about a mile away from Hancock's right-front, the unseen Confederates formed four abreast. Hill stepped forward and made a short speech, ordering all to fix bayonets, declaring that the Yankees had better rifles and their best hope was to take them at the point of the bayonet. "Depend on it men," he exhorted, "the Yankees cannot stand cold steel." The plan was simple. Early's troops would move through the woods onto the Union right flank and roll it up. But, as the force pushed through the dense forest, the two center regiments, the 38th Virginia, under Colonel Powhatan Whittle and 23rd North Carolina of Colonel Daniel Christie, became tangled in the underbrush and slowed by very swampy ground. According to Hill, the 38th got so confused, for a time it was led in the wrong direction.

Certain he had come far enough and wishing to give Early's troops a chance to catch up, Hill halted the 5th North Carolinia in a ravine in the woods. Early and his old regiment, the 24th Virginia, soon came up and aligned on Hill's left and moved forward. More trouble developed as the 23rd North Carolina, still trying to find its way out suddenly bumped into the advanced skirmishers of the 33d, hidden in the dense brush. Sporadic firing from the New Yorkers and the terrain brought the green regiment to a halt near the edge of the field. Finally, Early and the 24th Virginia made it out into the open. The first thing the Federals saw were several men on horseback. Many, including the 5th Wisconsin and Hancock, who saw them from the redoubt, mistook them for cavalry. Emerging from the woods, the Rebels realized they had not gotten on the Yankees’ flank, but were still out in front. Across a muddy wheat field a few hundred yards to the left, Early saw Cowan's and Wheeler's pesky batteries near some farm houses, supported by what looked like a brigade several hundred yards further back.

Brave, but impulsive to a fault, Early determined to take the guns without waiting for support. Seeing the 6th South Carolina, under Colonel John Bratton, in a nearby redoubt, he ordered them to march toward Hancock's left and assault him from that side. He then extended his line to cover Hancock's front as far across as he dared. Then with a shout, Early rushed his unsupported Virginians across the muddy field through wheat half way up to their knees. Back in the woods, General Hill heard shouting, then Early's voice yelling, "Follow me!" Not waiting for the his troops, Hill ran ahead, bursting out of the woods north of Early's double-quicking troops, but couldn’t see them as they were masked form him by the woodsline. Soon, the 5th North Carolina, commanded by former U.S. Consul-General to Paris Colonel Duncan McRae, issued into the open field nearby. McRae didn't see anything either, so he moved his regiment about 100 yards further into the field and was immediately fired upon by Wheeler and Cowan's batteries, protected by what looked to be a brigade of Yankees. The soft, rain-soaked ground looked terrible and McRae knew that advancing quickly over such ground would be difficult. He sent Major P. J. Sinclair and Adjutant Lieutenant James McRae over to Hill to ask for instructions.

Joseph Corning found Hancock not far from where he was before and, seeing that he was watching the Rebels, he went back to prepare his men. "I order[ed] the men to take the caps from their guns, and see that the cones were dry and clear, that every gun should go at the first fire." As he checked their muskets, he cautioned them, "The ball will open soon, keep cool and steady, as I am going to wait until they are...near, that with steady deliberate fire, you ought to drop seventy of them." "Yes, we will Colonel," was their reply.

An unidentified member of Company F was mightily impressed by the Confederates’ well-aligned formation, and wrote to the Nunda News,

Across the field came the compact advancing columns in beautiful order. It was the most beautiful sight I ever witnessed; an almost involuntary murmur of admiration ran along our ranks. I looked down the line. The boys looked pale, their lips compressed and the light in their eyes that told they would conquer or die like men.

As soon as the Southerners got close enough the skirmishers opened fire. Never afraid of a fight, Early led from the front, dangerously exposing himself to the Yankee's fire. The Virginians soon realized that their other regiments were nowhere to be seen, but for Jubal Early that was irrelevant --there were Yankees in front and they had to be attacked. Realizing the 24th was alone, its major, Richard Maury, knew someone had blundered.

Corporal Jay Brown of Colonel Hiram Berdan's famous 1st U.S. Sharpshooters had been lying a long time just inside the woods across the field from the 5th Wisconsin’s skirmish line. The cold rain and inactivity left the one-time Yale student numb. He had gone along with the brigade, but was beginning to believe he would have no opportunity to practice his craft when, several hundred yards out and to the right, he saw Early and his troops burst out of the woods and head for Hancock's line. At their head was an officer on horseback "waving his sword right gallantly". As he prepared to pick off Rebel officers, the skirmishers opened fire and enemy troops began falling. Suddenly, the officer waving his sword pitched from his horse and fell. It was probably Early, who not long after entering the field went down with a dangerous shoulder wound. Corporal Brown raised his heavy-barreled rifle and commenced his deadly work. Suddenly, the 24th's Colonel, William Terry, fell with a minie ball in his face. Lieutenant Colonel Peter Hairston also fell. Now the senior officer on the field, Major Richard Maury found himself in battle-command of a regiment for the first time in his life.

As soon as the 24th Virginia got out of the woods, the 5th Wisconsin’s skirmishers began falling back, wheeling and firing as they went. They re-formed behind the batteries, giving Captain Wheeler's gunners clear firing with cannister, which took its toll on the Confederates’ front ranks. But, led by a shouting officer on horseback waving his sword over his head, the Rebels came on. Wheeler fired again, wreaking havoc on the advancing line, but it did not stop them. The skirmishers and artillerists had to fall back.

Back at the farm, Colonel Cobb, a former Wisconsin congressman who had resigned his seat to join the army, heard the 33d’s and 5th’s skirmishers firing at something, but because the farm buildings and the woods obstructed his view, he couldn’t see what was happening. As the 5th Wisconsin commander tried to sort things out, he suddenly saw Wheeler’s and Cowan’s batteries falling back toward the redoubt.

Hearing all the firing, General Hill wrote that he ran further out into the open field to see what was happening, but, the angle of the woods still prevented him fron seeing his men or the Yankees. Suddenly, one of Early's aides galloped up and informed him that they had found the enemy and were "chasing" them, but General Early was seriously wounded and needed reinforcements. Soon after, McRae's messengers arrived for instruction. Hill, now realizing that the 24th Virginia was assaulting the Federals alone, ordered the 5th North Carolina to their support. Major Sinclair quickly found Colonel McRae, telling him, "that I was 'to charge the battery which opened on us, and do it quickly'."

The North Carolinians had emerged into the open field several hundred yards to the right of the 24th Virginia, almost on Hancock’s left. They would have to double-quick across the face of most of the Federal front to reach their comrades. As an admiring Hancock watched from the rise in front of the redoubt, he saw them left-oblique under increasing fire from his skirmishers and batteries and race to the Virginians' aid.

As Colonel Cobb tried to get a better look, Sergeant George Bissell called his attention to a new problem --the 49th Pennsylvania had faced about and was marching for the rear. Then he noticed one of Hancock’s staff officers, Lieutenant Issac Parker, a former member of the 49th, galloping from the 49th’s position to the 6th Maine. Soon, they too, were heading for the rear. Cobb realized that the echelon was being called in from the wrong side. His men should have been recalled first, then the 6th Maine, and finally the 49th Pennsylvania. If he didn’t act quickly, his men would be left alone to face the threat.

It was obvious to Hancock that escape was now impossible. At least two lines of yelling Confederates were bearing down on him and it looked like others were trying to get into the woods to his left. And, what looked like cavalry had emerged from the woods on the right and was bearing down on the 5th Wisconsin. He later reported,

A column of the enemy's cavalry now came out from behind a point of the woods near the redoubt on the right. The skirmishers kept up a constant fire upon this cavalry, doing good execution, at about 400 yards distance....I ordered some shell to be thrown into them, and then directed the artillery to retire rapidly, piece by piece, to my second line."

The staff officer Hancock sent to the gunners was the seemingly everywhere Lieutenant George Custer. As he galloped toward them, he saw the gunners and the skirmishers were already skedaddling and reined in and rode back to the redoubt.

As Colonel Corning watched, the Rebels charged down the edge of the woods at the 5th Wisconsin. He was mightily impressed with the bravery of 5th’s Colonel, who tried to form a "square" with his regiment, a defensive maneuver against cavalry much like "circling the wagons". But, according to Corning, the fire they were taking was so severe, they "got in bad shape" and were falling everywhere. Much moved, Corning remarked to the color guard, "How those men must suffer." Cobb’s men kept up a hot fire, slowing the Rebels some, but not stopping them. Hancock, was also impressed with Cobb’s feistyness. Nevertheless, he saw that they would eventually be overpowered and sent Lieutenant Parker, who instead went to the 49th Pennsylvania and 6th Maine first. Lieutenant Holbrook watched him race around the field through an increasing hail of bullets:

We can never forget the coming of the aide who delivered that order, for he was the only mounted officer in that part of the field, and as the enemy was close at hand and approaching us, he was a fine target for the whole rebel line. The bullets flew about him like hailstones, and he stretched his whole length along the neck and back of his big bay horse. As soon as he was sufficiently near to be heard, he shouted his message to Colonel Cobb, and then retired at breakneck speed.

As the 5th retreated, Corning saw several Wisconsin men in hand-to-hand combat with the Virginians who had reached them. As the Rebels pressed the 5th Wisconsin, Captain William Bugh fell wounded. One enemy soldier tried to bayonet him, but he desperately fought him off with his sword. Major Maury of the 24th Virginia saw it, too, and, seeing the officer plead for mercy, rode to stop his man.

Private Kirkbride, of Carroll, frantic at the fall of his brother, ran down [Bugh]and was about to plunge his bayonet into him. Hearing earnest call of the officer for quarter, across the field and above the din of battle, and seeing that there was no time to spare if the man was to be saved, I galloped to where he was, shouting to Kirkbride to hold. [Bugh] begging to surrender, tendered his sword...but was told that there was no...men to spare for his guard, and he had better get to the rear; and Kirkbride and his companion hastened on. Severely wounded, Bugh was unable to move and just laid there. Minutes later, Private Kirkbride was dead.

Seventeen-year old Henry Douglas of Company D was one of the 5th’s skirmishers. Douglas soon found out his musket would not fire. With bullets flying all around, he cooly sat on the ground and fixed it. Years later, a member of the 5th Wisconsin named DeClark remembered,

On his way back he found that his rifle would not fire --its priming having become wet-- and he deliberately sat down on the wet and muddy ground and picked out the nipple and reprimed it. This was noticed by several men of his company and others. Young Douglas was taken sick, and died, not long after in his mother’s arms, at a hospital in Philadelphia.

The brave youth’s remains were taken to Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, where Company D later erected a monument with the engraving, "Hero of Williamsburg."

The 5th Wisconsin retreated in fragments across the front of the 6th Maine and the right of the 49th Pennsylvania, which had fallen back to the crest of the hill, preventing the two regiments from firing on the Rebels for fear of hitting the Wisconsin men. As the remnants filed into the redoubt, Colonel William Irwin bent his Pennsylvanians around to cover the brigade’s left flank.

The 5th North Carolina, moving as fast as they could through the mud and wheat, so far were fortunate as Hancock's troops were mainly concentrating on the 24th Virginia. As the Tarheels stumbled across the field, Colonel McRae saw that his men were actually going too fast for their own good, losing some of their formation and not heading far enough to the left. He ordered them to halt. McRae quickly walked to the front and "urged my men to move less rapidly and to press more sensibly to the left." He then made them lay down for a moment to regain their composure. As he looked over the field, to his left he saw one of Early's aides waving him on and he ordered his command up. McRae was worried. Even though the Yankees were falling back, seemingly in disorder, and their line on the hill also appeared to be wavering, he felt the two regiments could not take them without help. And there was no help. Where were the other two regiments? He sent his brother, Adjutant James McRae, galloping off to look for General Hill.

General Hill still did not fully understand the situation at the front. Without the benefit of reconnoitering the ground, he did not know his regiments faced so many Yankees until the heavy firing made him realize it. Now also fearing a Yankee flank attack, he searched for his missing regiments. The general finally found the 38th Virginia out in the open "huddled up and in considerable confusion." When they entered the field, Hancock’s guns had given them a beating. After much coaxing and aligning, Hill finally got the shaken men formed and ordered them to clear the woods on the left. As the regiment went stumbling back into the trees, he discovered the 23rd North Carolina, which was stopped near a fence. He ordered them to change front and come in alongside of the 38th Virginia to assist them.

Getting the 23rd off, he then saw the 6th South Carolina inexplicably sitting in the field on the far right. Hill did not know that Early had commanded them to flank Hancock’s left and went to find out why they were there. Finding Colonel Bratton, Hill learned of Early's instructions and was about to send them into the woods when the 38th Virginia suddenly came back out of the woods. Irritated with their obvious lack of training and discipline, the general packed them off toward the woods on the right with the 6th South Carolina. The two regiments never did find Hancock's lines and did not participate in the final part of the battle, though they did take some incidental casualties, probably from artillery fire.

As the 24th Virginia came yelling toward Hancock’s lines, some of the Federal troops became harder to control and their lines began to waver. Every available musket was needed and Hancock ordered Captain James McNair to bring 33d Companies A, D and F out of the redoubt to the right into a hollow of the crest. In his excitement McNair stood at the entrance and commanded the companies to come out without consulting Lieutenant Colonel Corning, who became upset. Demanding to know what McNair was doing, the captain explained that Hancock had ordered him to bring them out. Corning told his men to hold until he could confirm the order.

Leaving the redoubt, Corning quickly found Hancock and asked for confirmation. The general looked at him impatiently and, "swinging his left hand three times at about a right angle to that of the fort," barked, "Right out there! Right out there!" Corning misunderstood Hancock’s intentions and went back with a heavy heart, thinking "is it possible that he is going to fall back without contesting the matter with the enemy at all?" Leaving the Color Sergeant and Guard defiantly waving their flags inside, he pulled his companies out and into line on the right of the fort, just as the 5th Wisconsin came up in a rush and entered the redoubt, lining the front wall. Looking at the 49th Pennsylvania and 6th Maine, which had already retreated back to the crest, it seemed as if the whole line was in trouble. The 7th Maine soon drew up to the 33d's right, extending itself all the way to the woods on the right.

Hancock was in a quandry. Many of his troops seemed to be becoming unsteady and his already thin line was stretched dangerously far to cover his potentially threatened flanks. Finding himself with no depth and green troops, Hancock no doubt realized that it would be difficult to withstand a determined attack. Private James Stebbins of Company F claimed soldiers were starting to run for the rear and, at one point, he overheard Hancock say that "he did not know what to do."

Now, Cowan's retreating battery rumbled into place just on the left of the redoubt, followed by Captain Wheeler’s. As they prepared to fire, Custer noticed that in all the excitement one of Cowan’s guns had been loaded backwards. Hancock noticed, too, for Custer later wrote, "[t]his so enraged Hancock that he ordered the battery to be withdrawn and moved to the rear. Wheeler’s guns were all that were left.

Seeing the Yankees falling back before them, the Virginians sensed victory and surged ahead, defiantly shouting "Bull Run!" and "Balls' Bluff!" The 5th North Carolina reached a point about 150 yards from the Federals and delivered its first volley at the 5th Wisconsin which was still entering the lines. Riding back and forth, Hancock tried to steady his men, cautioning, "Aim low, men --aim low. Do not be in a hurry to fire until they come nearer." With the added fire of the Tarheels, the lead hail became even more terrifying to the Federals who were already shaken by the their retreat and the wild Rebel yells which followed them. Forty-Ninth Pennsylvania Colonel William Irwin later remarked, "It would seem impossible for any more trying circumstances to surround a regiment than those which...pressed on [our] men. They were weary, had lost sleep, made a forced march over bad roads in wretched weather, and were for the first time confronting their enemy in line of battle." New York Times Correspondent David Judd, who was present until he became convinced that all was lost and skedaddled for the dam, agreed, writing "It was a most trying situation --the foe was steadily bearing down upon us, and no reinforcements, were they to be had, could cross the narrow mill-dam in time. [T]he men...nerved themselves for the shock, determined that many of the enemy should bite the dust before they would surrender."

As Corning got his men aligned, he realized that retreat was not in the cards and sought Hancock’s permission to keep the colors flying from the redoubt.

As I got my command steadied down, I sent a seargent, saying to him, "[G]o and find the Gen. [H]e went to the rear, towards the left of the fort. [S]ay to him that I sent you, that I have left my colors flying, that I don’t want to take them down. Ask him if I must, or can I leave them." The sergeant soon returned saying, "The General says you may leave them for the present."

Adjutant McRae of the 5th North Carolina finally found General Hill. After hearing of Colonel McRae's and General Early's situation, Hill yelled to the 23rd, which was still milling around in the nearby woods, "Boys, do you hear that? Let us go to Colonel McRae's relief." As he tried to get them off, Hill realized that they were just too ill-trained to make such a movement in time and the frustrated general changed his mind, issuing orders that McRae "draw off his men as best he can." The adjutant raced back to his regiment. As he neared the fighting, his horse became frightened by all the noise and uncontrollably bolted straight toward the Yankee lines, forcing him to jump off to escape capture or worse.

Back on the hill, Corning ordered his men to fire at will. To keep them calm, "I...kept up and down the line, talking to them, checking the too much haste in many, until I got them to doing good execution. The 7th Main[e] to my right, were also at it..." He noticed the 5th Wisconsin had nearly filled the redoubt up. Corning soon saw that as his men loaded, several kept looking back to their right rear and sternly commanded, "Square to the front there! attend to your business." Several questioned, "Shouldn’t we lie down, Colonel?" Corning looked back to see what was distracting them and discovered that the 7th Maine was falling back about twenty-five yards, but still in good order and firing. To his left, the 6th Maine and 49th Pennsylvania was also falling back. He had received no such orders and realized his men thought they were being left alone. Corning wrote, "It was a trying time for men, being the first time that they had been in anything of a battle, and the whole person exposed, and for a few minutes it was a question with me whether I would run the risk of facing them to the rear as the lead was flying pretty thick...I soon decided I must."

Back in the redoubt at the dam, Private Joseph Jackson of Company B, could see Hancock’s rear and claimed that "[t]the right and left of our line began to waver," and hundreds were running for the rear. At one point the brigade’s pioneers ran past, and one called out, "Officers and men come out and get away, if you don’t you will all be cut off, killed or taken prisoners. Men don’t wait for your officers, but run, Col. Corning and his men are all being cut to pieces, you will never see them alive again."

Ever mindful of the larger picture, Hancock realized that failure to stop the assault not only meant defeat, but personal disgrace. Lieutenant Custer heard the brigadier bellow, "Men, you must hold this ground, or I am ruined." He had superior numbers. A veteran brigade should have been able to withstand such an assault, but this was no veteran brigade. He needed to consolidate and calm them down, so the general pulled them back from the crest of the hill some. In the din and confusion of the battle, the 33d had not received the order. As Lieutenant Colonel Corning looked up and down the line, he saw his little band’s flanks were now "in the air."

With bullets flying all about them, Corning yelled, "Attention 33d about face, steady forward, guide center, march! Halt, about face, fix bayonets, continue firing." "It was done handsomely," he remarked, "it gave me full confidence of their obediance to my orders in [the] future."

As the Confederates got closer, the 7th Maine fell back again. Then on the 33d’s left the 6th Maine fell back. They were salient again. As Corning assessed his situation, he suddenly heard hoof-beats behind him --it was [33d NY] Colonel [Robert F.] Taylor, back from the woods on the right. Corning spun around and, not seeing Taylor’s men with him, exclaimed,

"Colonel! Where are the four companies that were under your command?"

"They have come up here haven’t they," Taylor questioned.

"Come up from where, sir," Corning pleaded.

"Down there," he replied, pointing to the corner of the woods to Corning’s right.

"No Sir," Corning answered. "A half doz[en] or so men came up from there."

"Well, they are back here somewhere," Taylor said.

Corning was horrified.

"Back where," he demanded. "For God’s sake bring them here! [T]his is the place for them, bring them here to fight!"

Corning took a hasty glance back toward the dam and caught his breath. He could see Cowan’s battery racing back at a gallop and "men by scores and hundreds [were] running to the rear." Convinced that the officers had lost control of their men, he turned back to the front.

The Southerners had now come within "twenty-five rods" of the New Yorker's position. It looked as if the two Rebels regiments would converge on the 33d. First Lieutenant George Brown of Company D fell with a mini ball lodged under his left arm. Colonel Taylor shouted, "For Heaven's sakes stand firm, my men. Everything depends upon you!" The desperate New Yorkers fired another volley which momentarily staggered the Rebels. Lieutenant Eustaphieve noticed, "It looked like utter ruin for us to resist the approaching legion; however, when they were near enough our three companies fired with fatal effect..." Joseph Corning was now convinced that there was only one chance.

As Colonel McRae got closer to the Federals, he thought he heard someone issue orders to cease firing. He realized that it might be a trick, but his men's blood was up and it was too late to stop them. What he likely heard was Joseph Corning preparing his men to charge.

Corning was desperate. They were out in front unsupported with at least two screaming Rebel regiments bearing down on them. It was almost impossible to see from the smoke of both side’s guns, but he could tell the Rebels were extremely close.

The smoke which was quite thick just over my head when I turned to look back, had now settled so as to intercept by view. I hear the enemy shouting Balls Bluff! Bull Run! I bowed my head to my horses neck, to look under the smoke. [T]hey were about to the line of the large gate posts [of an east-west running fence], about sixty yards...[T]wo minutes more and all is lost, no time for consultation or suggestions. I mentally said these men better die like men here, than go back in a panic and be crowded[,] drowned and jam[m]ed to death at that dam. One quick look my head came up...I drew my sword, exclaiming, "My God Sir" nothing but a charge can check this thing," instantly commanding, "Cease fire! forward 33d, double quick!"

Still in the fort, the 33d’s color guard heard a Rebel officer shout, "Men, I will give you just three minutes to take them guns and that fort." "[T]hen," Lieutenant Reuben Niles wrote, "opened the ball." According to James Stebbins, to a man, Companies A, D and F "charged pell-mell" at the shocked Confederates. Corporal Benjamin Mepham of Company B declared the men "sprang forward with three wild huzzas...120 in all [and] charged like demons." The three companies plunged down the little slope toward the surprised Confederates and "were soon lost in a cloud of smoke which had enveloped the plain."...