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top of the latter.
Quite a sharp action ensued, which may be described here, out of its order in time, as it was entirely isolated.
Three companies of the 47th Ala. were detached and left on picket at the foot of the mountain.
The remaining force was but about 500 men under the command of Col. Oates of the 15th Ala. The mountain had been partially occupied in the morning by the 3d corps, but was vacated when they moved to the front.
About 4 P. M., Gen. Warren, seeing the deployment of our lines, had brought up Vincent's brigade of Barnes's division of the 5th corps.
Swinton has written that a foot-race occurred for the commanding position, and that a desperate hand-to-hand fight with bayonets and clubbed muskets took place for a half-hour between ‘Hood's Texans’ and Vincent's men.
None of the official reports on either side are consistent with this story.
There was some sharp fighting and Vincent was killed, but Oates's small and isolated force was soon outflanked and compelled to retreat to the foot of the mountain.
It was not pursued, and, at the foot, it built breastworks of rocks which it held all night and part of the next day. The total casualties reported for the battle by the 15th Ala. were: 17 killed, 54 wounded, and 90 missing, total 161. Maj. Campbell of the 47th reported ‘about one-third of his whole number of men were killed and wounded.’
The losses of Vincent's brigade for the battle were 352.
Hood's front line had, meanwhile, been reduced, by Oates's divergence to Big Round Top, to less than seven regiments in two isolated bodies.
Law, on the right, had the 4th, 44th, and 48th Ala., and parts of the 4th and 5th Tex. Robertson, on the left, had only the 1st Tex. and 3d Ark. His left flank, too, was in the air, and was much overlapped by the Federal line.
It could make no progress, but maintained a position under very severe fire of artillery and infantry, which, within the first half-hour, severely wounded Hood.
Law succeeded to the command of the division.
His part of the brigade had made more progress, but already reinforcements sent by Meade were reaching the enemy and Law's advance was checked.
He ordered in the second line, using Benning's brigade to reinforce his own, and Anderson to
1907.
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