Comte de Paris, History of the Civil War in America. Vol. 4.
Henry Coppee , LL.D., Ed.

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[299] ensure by their uniformity the success of the movement, and there is no time to wait for orders. For some minutes the anxiety of the chief is painful. But it does not last long. One of those inspirations, sudden and so contagious that they appear unanimous, that sometimes carry away a number of experienced men whose very peril enlightens their judgment, has abruptly put an end to all hesitation in contempt of rules regarding military practice. Those of Willich's men who first reached the intrenchment have followed up their adversaries without halting at the foot of the slope. Their comrades follow them instinctively. On their right, Hazen, not being able to wait for another signal, carries away his entire brigade. The example thus set is so rapidly followed by Wagner's and Harker's troops near him, and by those of Beatty and Turchin on the left of Willich, that the battle-front of the entire Federal centre is not broken by this spontaneous manoeuvre. The second line crosses the works without halting, and it is not long in uniting with the first. Two of Baird's brigades and Johnson's division are somewhat in the rear.

To use an expression bold as the resolution which has just carried away an entire army, it may be said that the soldiers fled forward. Their superiors hasten to follow and encourage them. It is, in fact, necessary to take advantage of their ardor in order to deal the blow which will decide the fate of the battle: any hesitation would be irreparable. Meanwhile, the unity of the manoeuvre appears for an instant to be compromised by some orders given conformably to instructions by General Grant. The officer whom Sheridan has sent to Granger, and who brings him back the advice not to proceed beyond the foot of the hill, causes Wagner's brigade to return the way it came; a portion of Harker's brigade follows this movement. The losses sustained by these troops prove how much a retreat would cost them. Fortunately, Sheridan hastens in the midst of them, and, receiving fresh instructions from Grant, he brings them again. On the left a similar incident has broken Baird's line. Van Derveer's and Phelps' brigades, which form his centre and left, reached somewhat later than Turchin the intrenchments abandoned by the enemy. While Turchin was resuming his forward march they came to a halt, and an order sent from Indian Hill held them an instant. But at the end of a