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FORTUNATELY for
Thomas,
Polk has ceased his attacks at the very time when
Longstreet's victory occurs.
After one o'clock he no longer menaces the positions that
Thomas has so gallantly defended.
Polk's divisions, which have all been re-formed rather far from the enemy, wait for orders which are not issued to them—an inexcusable fault, because without coming again in collision with the breastworks which had previously checked him,
Polk might by vigorous demonstrations have annoyed the left of
Thomas.
His inaction, on the contrary, allows the
Federals to strip the left, so as to reinforce the remnants of their right.
At about half-past 2 o'clock a large body of troops in
John Beatty's and
Stanley's brigades takes a position at the left of
Wood in the grove between
Snodgrass' farm and
Dyer's.
Reynolds, who has brought back his right
en potence, extends it so as to be close to these detachments from
John Beatty's and
Stanley's commands and re-form a continuous line in front of the enemy.
Van Derveer, sent by
Brannan in the morning to the assistance of
Baird, returns at the same hour near his chief, whom he finds, with some four thousand men belonging to several divisions, on
Horseshoe Ridge.
This ridge—in the shape of a horseshoe, as its name indicates—presents its convex side to the south-east; that is to say, to the enemy.
The jutting portion is not very prominent.
It is flanked on the left with the knob occupied by
Harker's brigade, and on the right with the commanding elevation which the
Confederates call Battery Hill, upon which
Brannan has placed the bulk of his forces.
The latter general, unfortunately, has not enough soldiers to occupy the approaches to the defile, and the enemy will be able to flank him on that weak side, where the absence of the troops that have retired as far as
McFarland's
