don and Kershaw to attack Wheaton and Emory. Seeing
that the weight of the attack was about to fall on the right,
Sheridan sent Wheaton to the support of Emory. However, Gordon's
onset proved so light that no assistance was needed, for, after
three or four volleys had been exchanged, the attack was easily
and completely thrown off. Kershaw's movement was even more feeble.

Several causes now delayed the counter attack of Sheridan. Crook
was endeavoring to re-form the stragglers on his colors behind
Merritt. Apprehension of the coming of Longstreet was only dissipated
by the information gained from prisoners during the afternoon, and
finally arose a false rumor of the appearance of a column of
Confederate cavalry in the rear toward Winchester; and this seemed
plausible enough until at last word came from Powell that he was
still holding off Lomax. Then Sheridan gave the signal for the
whole line to go forward against the enemy, beginning with Getty
on the left, as a pivot, while the whole right was to sweep onward,
and, driving the enemy before it, to swing toward the valley road
near the camps of the morning.

About four Getty started, and the movement being taken up in
succession toward the right, in a few minutes the whole line was
advancing steadily. From that moment to the end the men hardly
stopped an instant for anything. The resistance of the Confederates,
though at first steady, and here and there even spirited, was of
short duration. For a few moments, indeed, the attack seemed to
hang on the extreme right as McMillan, rushing on even more rapidly
than the order of the combat demanded, found himself suddenly
enveloped by the right wheel of the brigade of Evans, forming the
extreme left of the division of Gordon and of the Confederate army.
But while McMillan was thus attacked and his leading troops were
called to meet the danger, this, as suddenly as it had come, was
swept away by the swift onset of Davis directly upon the front and
flank of Evans. To do this Davis had not only to act instantly,
but also to change front under a double fire; yet he and his brigade
were equal to the emergency, and McMillan joining in, together they
not only threw off the attack of Evans, but bursting through the
re-entrant angle of Gordon's line, quickly swept Evans off the
field. Knowing this to be the critical point of his line, because
the wheeling flank, Sheridan was there. "Stay where you are," was
his order,