gether to
antagonize any force seeking entrance there.... The enemy in front of
the Sixteenth Corps rallied in the woods (this is after the first
attack) and renewed their attack with increased vigor and
bitterness.... The conflict continued for some time, with no
appearance on either side of any disposition to yield the ground, when
the enemy gave way, and fell back in confusion, followed by the
Sixteenth Corps.... The second assault (upon the Sixteenth Corps) was
simultaneous with the attack upon General Giles A. Smith's Division,
which was the left of the Seventeenth Corps.

You will note from my address that the moment I was attacked I sent an
aide, and afterwards a signal officer named Sheffly (I think), who was
detailed with me that day, or happened to be with me. These officers had
gone to General Giles A. Smith, who commanded Blair's left, Fourth
Division, Seventeenth Corps, to get him to refuse his left and join my
right. I think the first officer I sent was Captain Jonas of my staff, who
returned immediately to me, and General Giles A. Smith sent me word that
he would refuse. That was a long time before Cleburn's Division got
between us; but, as my paper and your article show, McPherson had sent
word to Giles A. Smith without knowing the condition in his front, to hold
his position, stating that he would send reinforcements to fill the gap
between Fuller and himself. Of course, had McPherson been there earlier
and seen what I saw, he would have had Smith's left join my right
immediately, which would have put Cleburn in front of us instead of
between us. That is one of the things that occur in battle that the person
on the ground knows better than the one distant. It was on the third
attack on my line that the enemy struck Blair, as Strong did not go to
Blair until after the repulse of the second attack. Cleburn's force got
right in behind Blair's left and picked up that portion of his line that
was refused, and swept back his force so that Blair's left, even before
Waglin of the Fifteenth Corps got there, was pretty nearly an extension of
but a quarter of a mile away from Fuller's right, and after I got through
fighting I had to withdraw my entire right quite a distance to connect
with Waglin and Blair, as Cleburn's force had pressed clear beyond me and
before he was halted was way in the rear of my right.

After the second attack, Cleburn, as he pressed through the gap betw