their left of the pike in the order stated, or were forming, when, about noon, General Griffin, advancing with great difficulty through the woods-Ayres's brigade on the right of the pike, Bartlett's and Barnes's on the left-suddenly struck Jones's brigade, broke it and drove it back through the supporting line, disordering Battle's brigade, which, with Doles's, was then hard pressed. General Jones, a gallant officer, was killed in a desperate effort to rally his brigade.' Ayres's brigade at the same time attacked the part of Johnson's division in his front. Daniel's brigade of Rodes's division was at once sent forward to the assistance of Doles and Battle. Early's division was brought up and formed across the pike, Gordon's brigade being ordered forward to the right of Rodes's line (the contest still going on), where it took an active and important part in repelling the attack.

Wright's division of the Sixth Corps was to have attacked in connection with the Fifth Corps, but met with such delay and difficulty in forcing its way through the dense scrubby pine and tangled undergrowth, that it could not connect with the Fifth, and did not get in contact with the enemy until much later in the day. General Griffin stated that, not being supported on his right, Ayres's brigade was forced back across the pike, and that entailed the falling back of the other brigades of his division, the enemy following and forming on the line first occupied by them, where they at once intrenched. Two of Griffin's guns on the pike were lost. They remained between the two lines until night, when they were taken away by the enemy.

In the meantime Wadsworth's division, followed and supported on the left by Dennison's Maryland brigade of Robinson's division, had advanced through thick woods and

1 General Early, in his Memoir, says these two brigades, Jones's and Battle's, "were driven back in some confusion."

dense thicket, passing through which had probably changed the direction of his movement, so as to bring him, about the time that Daniel's and Gordon's brigades got on the ground, in front of the enemy's right, with his left flank toward them, of which they took instant advantage to attack, and his front line being so entangled in the wood as not to admit of ready handling, its left fell back quickly, and in some confusion, and the enemy, passing through the opening thus made, took Dennison's brigade in flank, as well as the two brigades of the right, and, after a short, sharp engagement, forced them also to retire.

Wadsworth's division had moved before McCandless's brigade of Crawford's division could unite with it, and this brigade had to take such direction as, it was thought, would bring it to Wadsworth's left, but it did not. Passing through the same kind of entangled wood found everywhere, it came in contact with Ewell's right, a part of it became enveloped by Gordon's brigade, had many killed and wounded, lost several hundred prisoners, and fell back. Crawford's division, being now somewhat isolated, was, toward two o'clock, drawn in, and posted about a mile southwest from the Lacy house, facing toward Chewning's.

The line of the Fifth Corps was established with its right on the pike, about three hundred yards from the enemy's line, thence gradually diverging further from it to Crawford. The enemy had reformed his line on the ground occupied when attacked, Rodes's division (Daniel's, Doles's, and Battle's brigades) on the right (their right) of the pike, Johnson's division on the left of it (Steuart's, Walker's, and Stafford's brigades), then Hays's and Pegram's brigades of Early's division, Gordon's brigade remaining on the right of Rodes until night, when it was placed on Pegram's left. The whole line was intrenched as soon as occupied.

It was between two and three o'clock, perhaps even later,

when Wright's division of the Sixth Corps got up to the enemy's front north of the pike and formed about three hundred yards from Johnson's and Early's line. Upton's brigade resting its left on the pike, connected with the Fifth Corps; the brigades of Penrose and Russell came next, Neill's brigade of Getty's division being on the right. The ground between Upton and the enemy had been fought over, and many killed and wounded of both sides lay on it. The woods were on fire on his entire front. Soon after arriving on the ground Russell's and Neill's brigades were attacked by Stafford's and Walker's brigades, which, after a sharp encounter, were repulsed, Neill capturing some prisoners. General Stafford was mortally wounded. The enemy had artillery on their left in the open ground of a farm, which partly enfiladed Neill's line, and the ground on his right and left. Shortly after this attack, while the firing was still heavy, Seymour's brigade of Ricketts's division arrived and was posted on the right of Neill.

Turning now to our left we find that General Getty arrived at the crossing of the Brock and Orange plank roads not long after eleven o'clock, and threw out his skirmish line across the Orange plank road. Half a mile out it encountered the skirmishers of the enemy's advance, forcing back Colonel Hammond's cavalry. These skirmishers fell back before Getty's. Learning, about noon, from the prisoners taken, that Hill's corps was on the road, Heth's division leading, General Getty disposed his troops for attack, extending his right toward the left of the Fifth Corps, but finding the enemy in force, deemed it best to await the arrival of part of the Second Corps before attacking, and while thus waiting intrenched slightly.

General Hill had undoubtedly received the same instructions as General Ewell, that "General Lee preferred not to bring on a general engagement before Longstreet came up."

Heth's division of Hill's corps led on the morning of the 5th on the Orange plank road, and a little after midday, when near the Brock road, the head of his column was met by Getty's division, as already stated, in front of which Heth took up a position crossing the plank road on some comparatively elevated ground, having in its front and on its right and left the swampy heads of affluents of the Ny on the right and of Wilderness Run on the left.

General Davis's (Colonel Stone commanding), General Cook's, and General Walker's brigades were on the right of the road, General Kirkland's on the left. Heth's artillery was posted in the rear on an eminence in the open ground of Tapp's farm on the Confederate left of the road, and was covered by epaulments. The same close underbrush was found in this part of the Wilderness, as in almost every other portion of it occupied by our troops, aggravated in the swampy parts. General Lee and General Hill accompanied Heth's division and remained near the artillery on this and the following day.

Wilcox's division followed Heth's, and at about two o'clock, when at Tapp's farm, turned to the left in order to connect with Ewell, and moved beyond Chewning's; it then formed line of battle (its skirmishers engaged) looking toward Ewell's right, which was in sight, in the open ground of Hagerson's farm; toward five o'clock however, Wilcox was called back to Heth's support, a movement that was observed by General Warren.

Hill had moved with caution, and when Heth came in front of Getty showed no disposition to attack, for instead of forming Wilcox to support Heth, he sent him to the left to unite with Ewell.

As already stated, when it became apparent that the enemy in full force were moving against us on the Orange plank and pike roads, General Hancock was directed to

move up the Brock road to the intersection of the Orange plank road and be prepared to move out toward Parker's store. Toward noon he was advised that Hill's corps, or part of it, had driven our cavalry from Parker's store, and were moving down the plank road; that Getty had been sent to drive them back, but might not be able to do so, and he was directed to support Getty, and drive the enemy beyond Parker's store, occupy that place and unite with Warren's left, then about a mile from the store. At half past one P.M. he was advised that the enemy had the plank road near to the Brock road; that Getty was not strong enough to attack, but would aid him; that Griffin had been pushed back somewhat; that Warren's left was within a mile of Parker's store, but might be drawn in or driven in; that he must push out the plank road and connect with Warren. An hour later he was informed of the result of Warren's attack, and that Crawford had been drawn in a mile. At quarter past three P.M. General Getty was ordered to attack at once, General Hancock informed of it and directed to support him with his whole corps, that the attack up the plank road must be made at once, for it was believed that Longstreet could not be up before the next morning. General Sedgwick and General Warren were advised of this and ordered to be prepared to renew the attack as soon as they were informed that Hancock and Getty had begun it. General Ricketts's First Brigade, General Morris commanding, was placed to support the left of the Sixth Corps or the right of the Fifth as might be needed; the part of the Ninth Corps that had got up covered the Germanna bridge and the road which led from the enemy's left to the Germanna road near the bridge. As soon as General Hancock received the despatch directing him to move his command up the Brock road to its intersection with the plank road (about 11 A.M.), he at once set his corps in motion toward