Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 10.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[271] regiment, being the first to lay his hands upon these pieces, and Color-Sergeant Pickle, of the same regiment, planting his colors over them. At the same time, three pieces of artillery and a number of prisoners were taken by the Third brigade, whose gallant commander, Colonel Warren, had fallen, severely wounded, a few minutes before, and which was now under the command of Colonel T. V. Williams, Thirty-seventh Virginia. We continued to drive the enemy before us until darkness prevented our farther advance. The firing had now ceased, owing to the very difficult and tangled nature of the ground over which the troops had advanced, and the mingling of the first and second lines of battle, the formation of the troops had become very much confused, and different regiments, brigades, and divisions were mixed up together. In order to be ready to renew the conflict at daylight, it was necessary to re-form them in proper order, and a portion of General A. P. Hill's troops having moved to the front, I ordered the different brigades of my division to form near the log hospital, which was occupied by the enemy's wounded, and to draw a fresh supply of ammunition. The Fourth brigade was formed on the left of the plank road, the others on the right. The First, which had been detached in the evening, not having yet rejoined, was some distance in the rear. The troops were hardly reformed and placed in position, when the enemy opened, about ten o'clock, a furious fire of shot, shell, and canister, sweeping down the plank road and the woods on each side. A number of artillery horses, some of them without drivers, and a great many infantry soldiers, belonging to other commands, rushed down the road in wild disorder; but although many casualties occurred at this time in my division, the troops occupied their positions with the utmost steadiness. It was at this time that General Nichols, of the Louisiana brigade, (Fourth), a gallant and accomplished officer, had his left leg torn off by a shell, and was carried off the field. The command of his brigade devolved on Colonel J. M. Williams, who, during the following day, discharged with zeal and gallantry the duties of brigade commander. It was also about the same time that our great, and good, and ever to be lamented corps commander fell under the fire of some of the men of General Lane's brigade. A desultory firing continued at irregular intervals during the night, and the wearied troops had but small opportunity to obtain the repose which was so needful for the task of the next day. General J. R. Jones, owing to the ulcerated condition of one of his legs, was compelled to leave the field about eleven o'clock, and Colonel T. S. Garnett assumed command of his brigade.

Early on Sunday morning orders were given to the division to form at right angles to the plank road, near the log house occupied as a hospital by the enemy. Colston's and Jones's brigades on the right of the road, and Paxton's and Nichols's on the left, in second line. As soon as it was broad daylight the battle commenced with fury. Our troops advanced from the breastworks, running perpendicular to the plank road, and charged the enemy up the hills, but were driven back by the enemy, who were strongly reenforced. Colston's brigade, under Colonel T. V. Williams, immediately advanced to the support of the first line, and became hotly engaged. Colonel. T. V. Williams being wounded, and Lieutenant-Colonel Walker, who succeeded him in command of the brigade being killed, the command devolved first upon Lieutenant-Colonel Thurston, Third North Carolina regiment, and he being wounded, Lieutenant-Colonel Brown, First North Carolina, assumed command. Here Colonel McDowell, First North Carolina regiment, was wounded, and Major Stover, Tenth Virginia regiment, was killed. By this time the enemy were advancing in very strong force towards the right of our line and of the breastworks, and were about outflanking us on the right. Seeing this danger, I sent Mr. Grogan, of General Trimble's staff, to order Paxton's brigade to move by the right flank across the road, and Lieutenant Hinrichs, of the engineers, was sent with an order to Jones's brigade, under Colonel Garnett, to advance towards the right from their position, a little in the rear in reserve. This was a most critical moment. The troops in the breastworks, belonging mainly (I believe) to General Pender's and General McGowan's brigades, were almost without ammunition, and had become mixed with each other, and with fragments of other commands. They were huddled up close to the breastworks, six and eight deep. In the mean time the enemy's line was steadily advancing on our front and right, almost without opposition, until I ordered the troops in the breastworks to open fire upon them. At this moment, Paxton's brigade having moved by the right flank across the road, and then by the left flank in line of battle, advanced towards the breastworks. Before reaching them, the gallant and lamented General Paxton fell; the command devolved upon Colonel Funk, Fifth Virginia regiment. The brigade advanced steadily, and the Second brigade moved up at the same time. They opened fire upon the enemy and drove them back in confusion. It was at and beyond these breastworks that the division sustained the most severe loss, the nature of the ground being such that the enemy had a plunging fire upon us, and sent destruction upon all that occupied the slope of the hill on which we were. Here fell the gallant Colonel Garnett, commanding Jones's brigade, leaving Colonel Vandeventer, Fiftieth Virginia, in command. Here Major McKim, of division staff, was killed while most gallantly cheering on the men. Major Hoffman and Mr. Grogan, of the same staff, were wounded. All these officers having remained mounted with and near the division commander and the other members of the staff, and having their horses killed under them.

For a time the tide of battle fluctuated; the three brigades of this division making several distinct charges, and being driven back by superior numbers, until at last the enemy were compelled to abandon their works near the Chancellor house.