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[102] Second Massachusetts and the Twenty-seventh Indiana, crossing the swale on their front under a murderous fire, their officers leading and cheering on the men, charged up the slope to the breastworks. Their ranks, however, before reaching there, had been so thinned by the sweeping fire of the enemy, Daniels's brigade, occupying the elevated and strong position on the spur of the hill, that it was impossible to dislodge him, and the two regiments, after having sustained enormous losses in officers and men, were ordered to retire. Colonel Mudge, of the Second Massachusetts, was killed in this charge. In the meantime, upon Ruger's advancing the left of McDougall's brigade, it found the enemy had withdrawn from the stone wall on the summit; this they at once occupied. Geary and Ruger then pushed forward their whole line and forced the enemy out of the breastworks to the eastward. The Twelfth Corps now reoccupied and re-established their old line, the enemy retiring from under fire to Rock Creek. Soon after Johnson's attack had begun, General Ewell had heard not only that Longstreet's attack on the left wing of the Federal army had not taken place, but that it would not take place for several hours. It was then, however, too late to recall Johnson, and his assault was allowed to proceed. Ewell now concluded that, as it had proved impossible to carry the strong position in his front, while, with no diversion in his favor, the enemy was at liberty to concentrate against him, he must desist from the attempt. Moreover, the Federal cavalry was now engaged in making strong demonstrations on his left, and already he had been obliged to detach Smith's brigade and one of Walker's regiments to oppose this advance. It was for these to him apparently good and sufficient reasons that Ewell then ordered the discontinuance of the attack from his front.1 During the morning, while the attack just described was in progress, General Meade remained on the far right of the line, occasionally riding to various parts of the field, re-forming the troops and strengthening their positions. It was about this time that he took
1 This is as far as Colonel Meade had prepared his account of the battle of Gettysburg at the time of his death, and the narrative which follows, of the subsequent events of the battle, has been written by the editor. The testimony of General Meade given before the congressional committee on the conduct of the war, the official records of the Union and Confederate armies, and the private correspondence of Colonel Meade with various officers present at the battle are the main sources from which the editor has drawn his information. For the use of the facts thus furnished the editor is alone responsible.
1913.
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