gade,
the 147th New York, the 76th New York, and the 56th Pennsylvania,
on the right of the road. When this formation was completed the
cavalry brigade under Gamble, which had been fighting there, withdrew
and formed in column on the left of the infantry; but the other
cavalry brigade, under Devin, which was not facing in that direction,
still held the position, awaiting the advance of Ewell's corps from
the north.

As Davis' rebel brigade of Heth's division fronting Wadsworth were
hidden behind an intervening ridge, Wadsworth did not see them at
first, but formed his three regiments perpendicularly to the road,
without a reconnoissance. The result was that Davis came over the
hill almost directly on the right flank of this line, which being
unable to defend itself was forced back and directed by Wadsworth
to take post in a piece of woods in rear on Seminary Ridge. The
two regiments on the right accordingly withdrew, but the 147th New
York, which was next to the road, did not receive the order, as
their Colonel was shot down before he could deliver it. They were
at once surrounded and very much cut up before they could be rescued
from their perilous position.

The two regiments on the right, which were forced back, were
veterans, conspicuous for gallantry in every battle in which the
Army of the Potomac had been engaged since the Peninsula campaign.
As Wadsworth withdrew them without notifying Hall's battery in the
road, or the two regiments posted by Reynolds on the left, both
became exposed to a disastrous flank attack on the right. Hall
finding a cloud of skirmishers launched against his battery which
was now without support, was compelled to retreat. The horses of
the lost gun were all shot or bayonetted. The non-military reader
will see that while a battery can keep back masses of men it cannot
contend with a line of skirmishers. To resist them would be very
much like fighting mosquitoes with musket-balls. The two regiments
posted by Reynolds, the 14th Brooklyn and 95th New York, finding
their support gone on the right, while Archer's rebel brigade was
advancing to envelop their left, fell back leisurely under Colonel
Fowler of the 14th Brooklyn, who assumed command of both as the
ranking officer present.

I reached the field just as the attack on Cutler's brigade was
going on, and at once sent my adjutant-general, Major Halstead,
and young Meredith L. Jones, who was acting as aide on my staff,
to Ge