s behind Morris, and take position on his left, and Colonel
B. F. Smith's brigade--the Third--was sent to my left.

Morris became somewhat entangled in a ravine and in thick timber,
and was slow in forming good line. In this position he was fired
upon from a ridge not two hundred yards from his front, the bullets
falling among my men as they passed his rear. I appealed to Morris
to face to the front, charge, and take the ridge, but he declined
to do so for want of orders.

As soon as I could get my two leading regiments, 110th and 122d
Ohio, on Morris' left, I led them to the crest of the ridge, captured
some prisoners, and posted the regiments in good position behind
a fence on the summit. My other regiments, 6th Maryland and 138th
Pennsylvania, successively, on their arrival, took position on the
left of the Ohio troops. The ridge which extended to my right
along Morris' front was still held by the enemy in strong force,
and both my flanks were threatened. Through a misunderstanding of
orders the Ohio regiments fell back a short distance, but soon
retook the crest and were again fiercely engaged, though under an
enfilading fire of artillery and a galling fire of musketry. The
ground being somewhat open to the front, I could see the enemy
massing for an attack. I again, but vainly, appealed to Morris to
advance and close the gap, as otherwise his position in the ravine
and thick woods could not be held. The assault came, and Morris
was forced, in some confusion, to retire. By refusing my right
somewhat, I maintained my isolated position and threatened the
enemy's right. The First Brigade, though composed in part of
regiments not before in strong battle, was quickly re-formed, and,
under Carr's order, soon obtained full possession of the ridge by
a splendid charge, and thus the gap was closed. The battle by this
time raged furiously all along the front. Colonel Smith, passing
too far to the rear, lost his way in the thickets, and failed to
come up on my left. He did not rejoin the division until the battle
was over. This misfortune was hard to account for, as Colonel
Smith was an intelligent, brave, and skilled officer--a graduate
of West Point. He met some scouting parties of the enemy, and, as
directed, sought to find a connection with troops of Warren's corps.
His failure caused my left to remain uncovered.

Two assaults were made upon my line by the enemy in columns not
less than three lines deep.