Edward Porter Alexander, Military memoirs of a Confederate: a critical narrative

[254] from Hood a promise that he would come instantly, when called to support the line. Hood then rode to find his wagons and bring up the rations, but the darkness caused such delay that it was already dawn, and the sound of battle was heard in front before many of the men had time to do more than to prepare their dough. No meat had been issued for several days, and only reduced rations of flour. Soon afterward, a staff-officer of Lawton's dashed up with the message, ‘Gen. Lawton's compliments, and will you come at once to his support.’ ‘To arms’ was instantly sounded, and the lines formed and marched to the front, leaving the half-cooked dough in camp. Near the Dunker Church they passed Lawton, being borne to the rear on a litter, and here Hood found Hays with about 40 men, whom he had rallied, but all out of ammunition. He suggested to Hays to withdraw and collect his men, and replenish ammunition. He then launched his two brigades, about 2000 men, under Wofford and Law, through the bloody corn-field, already thickly strewn with dead and dying. Hood's brigades had made the successful charge at Gaines Mill, which broke through Porter's intrenched line, but he wrote in his report that here he ‘witnessed the most terrific clash of arms, by far, that has occurred during the war.’ Hooker was wounded, and the enemy was driven back so far as to be forced to abandon some of his guns.

Meanwhile, Early's brigade on his left, in the long body of woods called the West Woods, on the left of the Hagerstown pike, was able to hold the enemy at bay and to protect Stuart's flank. When Early left with Stuart but one small regiment of infantry, Stuart withdrew from his advanced position to a hill a little nearer our line. Here he had 13 pieces of artillery, and was able to greatly annoy the Federal infantry near the Hagerstown pike. On Hood's right the battle had been held by three brigades, which D. H. Hill had had near at hand and in reserve,— Colquitt's, Ripley's, and Garland's, the last now under MacRae. On Hood's left, Lee had sent Walker's two brigades and the Ga. brigade of G. T. Anderson, of D. R. Jones's division, which he had withdrawn from his right flank, opposite the Burnside bridge.

Mansfield's 12th corps had reenforced Hooker just in time