George Meade, The Life and Letters of George Gordon Meade, Major-General United States Army
George Gordon Meade, Ed.

[288] and the first to start, pushing ahead at a run, over fields and through woods, for about twelve hundred yards, when they burst out of the woods on the left flank of Seymour's brigade. Owing to the peculiar position of this part of McCall's line, the attack coming from this direction was rather unexpected, and the Twelfth Regiment, Seymour's left, the greater part of which was posted at a small house some distance in front, finding itself suddenly assailed in flank, and cut off from the main body of its brigade, was soon overpowered and driven off. Knieriem's battery, which was also on Seymour's left, after wildly firing one or two rounds, limbered up and went to the rear, leaving two of its guns in Kemper's hands. Seymour's left was now completely carried away. Kemper's success was very brief, however, as Seymour, although under heavy fire, swung back his right regiment, the Tenth, as also Diedrich's battery, and pouring a destructive fire into Kemper, succeeded in holding him in check. The First Rifles and the Second Regiment, sent by General McCall from the centre at the beginning of the firing on the left, now covered the left and rear of Seymour's new line and aided materially in preventing the further advance of the enemy in this direction. At this crisis the Fifth and Eighth Regiments were brought up from the Reserves, under Colonel Simmons, and these, with the rest of Seymour's line, made a gallant charge, drove Kemper back, regained the guns and ground in front, and followed the retreating enemy into the woods beyond, capturing several hundred prisoners. In this charge Colonel Simmons fell at the head of his regiments, mortally wounded. A large portion of the Twelfth Regiment, after falling back before Kemper, were rallied in rear of Seymour's new line, and joining one of Hooker's regiments, the Sixteenth Massachusetts, fought creditably side by side with it throughout the rest of the day.

General Meade early perceiving this advance of Kemper on the left, took one of his regiments and in person led it into the woods on his left front, to attack in flank. To do this he had to pass in front of the two German batteries with Seymour, which, notwithstanding his repeated and urgent demands, sent by his staff, to change the line of their fire, still continued it in his direction. This, combined with that of the enemy, threw his regiment into disorder, whereupon it retired and resumed its place in line.

It was now fully five o'clock, and Pickett's brigade, with Branch's brigade of A. P. Hill's division, was ordered to Kemper's relief.

Moving rapidly forward and passing through the remnants of Kemper's