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

[284] At the command, we advanced with the division, preserving a distance of about one hundred yards in rear of General Colquitt. Brisk firing was soon heard upon our front and left, indicating that General Doles had encountered the foe. At this point General Colquitt moved by the right flank, sending me word by an officer of his staff that the enemy was attempting to turn his right. I immediately moved by the right flank, but heard no firing in that quarter. Again he sent his staff officer to inform me that the enemy was pushing his right flank, when I directed him to say to General Colquitt, in effect, that the firing indicated a sharp fight with General Doles, and that my impression was that his support was needed there, and that I would take care of his right flank. General C. moved to the front with the exception of one regiment, which continued to the right. I then pressed on by the right flank to meet the enemy that General Colquitt's staff officer twice reported to me to be in that direction, and prosecuted the search for half a mile perhaps, but not a solitary Yankee was to be seen! I then came up to the division line, and moved by the left flank to the support of General Colquitt, whose men were resting in line of battle on the field General Doles had won! On Saturday night our division occupied the last line of battle, within the intrenchments, from which the routed corps of Siegel had fled in terror. My brigade was placed perpendicular to the plank road, the left resting on the road, General Doles on my right, and Colonel O'Neal, commanding Rodes's brigade, on my left. I placed Colonel Parker's Thirtieth North Carolina on the right of my brigade; Colonel Bennett, Fourteenth North Carolina, on right centre; Colonel Cox, Second North Carolina, left centre, and Colonel Grimes, Fourth North Carolina, on left.

Sunday, May 3d.--The division being, as stated, in the third line of battle, advanced about nine o'clock to the support of the second line. After proceeding about a quarter of a mile I was applied to by Major Pegram for a support to his battery, when I detached Colonel Parker, Thirtieth North Carolina, for this purpose, with orders to advance obliquely to his front and left, and rejoin me after his support should be no longer needed, or to fight his regiment as circumstances might require. I continued to advance to the first line of breastworks, from which the enemy had been driven, and behind which I found a small portion of Paxton's brigade, and Jones's brigade, of Trimble's division. Knowing that a general advance had been ordered, I told these troops to move forward. Not a man moved. I then reported this state of things to Major-General Stuart, who directed me to assume command of these troops, and compel them to advance. This I essayed to do; and after fruitless efforts, ascertaining that General Jones was not on the field, and that Colonel Garnett had been killed, I reported again to General Stuart, who was near, and requested permission to run over these troops in my front — which was cheerfully granted. At the command “Forward,” my brigade, with a shout, cleared the breastworks, and charged the enemy. The Fourth North Carolina, (Colonel Grimes,) and seven companies of the Second North Carolina, (Colonel Cox,) drove the enemy before them until they had taken the last line of his works, which they held under a severe direct and enfilading fire, repulsing several assaults on this portion of our front. The Fourteenth North Carolina (Colonel Bennett,) and three companies of the Second were compelled to halt some hundred and fifty or two hundred yards in rear of the troops just mentioned, for the reason that the troops on my right had failed to come up, and the enemy was in heavy force on my right flank. Had Colonel Bennett advanced, the enemy could easily have turned my right. As it was, my line was subject to a horrible enfilade fire, by which I lost severely. I saw the danger threatening my right, and sent several times to Jones's brigade to come to my assistance, and I also went back twice myself, and exhorted and ordered it — officers and men — to fill up the gap (some five hundred or six hundred yards) on my right — but all in vain. I then reported to General Rodes that unless support was sent to drive the enemy from my right I would have to fall back. In the mean-time Colonel Parker, of the Thirtieth, approaching my position from the battery on the right, suddenly fell upon the flank, and handsomely repulsed a heavy column of the enemy, who were moving to get in my rear by my right flank — some three or four hundred of them surrendering to him as prisoners of war. The enemy still held his strong position in the ravine on my right, so that the Fourteenth and the three companies of the Second could not advance. The enemy discovered this situation of affairs, and pushed a brigade to the right and rear of Colonel Grimes, and seven companies of Colonel Cox's second, with the intention of capturing their commands. This advance was made under a terrible direct fire of musketry and artillery. The move necessitated a retrograde movement on the part of Colonels Grimes and Cox, which was executed in order, but with the loss of some prisoners, who did not hear the command to retire. Colonel Bennett held his position until ordered to fall back, and in common with all the others, to replenish his empty cartridge-boxes. The enemy did not halt at this position, but retired to his battery, from which he was quickly driven, Colonel Parker, of the Thirtieth, sweeping over it with my troops on my right. After replenishing cartridge-boxes, I received an order from Major-General Rodes to throw my brigade on the left of the road to meet an apprehended attack of the enemy in that quarter. This was done, and afterwards I was moved to a position on the plank road, which was intrenched, and which we occupied until the division was ordered back to camp near Hamilton's Crossing. The charge of the brigade, made at a critical moment, when the enemy had broken, and was hotly pressing the centre of the line in our front, with apparently overwhelming numbers, not only checked his advance, but threw him back in disorder, and pushed him, with heavy loss, from his last line of works.