William Swinton, Campaigns of the Army of the Potomac

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[330] who had reached the ground with the van of the infantry, to move the other brigade, usually called the ‘Iron Brigade,’ under General Meredith, to the left of the road to occupy a piece of woods skirting Willoughby Run, across which and into the woods the Confederate right was at the same time pushing. Only the advanced division of Hill's corps, under Heth, had yet come up, so that the opening combat which might fitly be called the battle of Willoughby's Run, was engaged between one division on each side. Heth, with his four brigades, attacked simultaneously the two brigades of Wadsworth's division under Generals Meredith and Cutler. The latter was assailed by Davis's Mississippi brigade, and with such success, that the three right regiments found themselves flanked, whereupon they were withdrawn over the Seminary Ridge, leaving the battery unsupported. Meanwhile, the skirmishers of Cutler's other two regiments (the Fourteenth Brooklyn, under Colonel Fowler, and the Ninety-fifth New York, under Colonel Biddle) were disputing with the Confederate brigade of Archer the passage of Willoughby Run, and skirmishing in a skirt of woods along the brook with such as had crossed. At this moment, the ‘Iron Brigade’ opportunely swept down from the left, struck the flank of the Confederate brigade, and captured several hundred that had already crossed, including the commander, Brigadier-General Archer.¹ The dispositions at this point were made by General Reynolds in person; and it was at the moment when, after urging on his men with animating words, he saw this successful charge under way, and turned to leave the woods, that he was struck with a rifle-shot that caused almost instant death—a grievous loss to the Army of the Potomac, one of whose most distinguished and best-beloved officers he was; one whom, by the steady growth of the highest military qualities, the general voice of the whole army had marked out for the largest fame.