welcome information was given by the balloon managers that a trail
branched off to the left from the main trail, only a short distance
back from the ford. This trail led to a ford some distance lower down
the stream and nearly facing the works on the enemy's right. General
Kent on learning of this outlet immediately hastened back to the forks
and meeting the Seventy-first New York Regiment, the rear regiment of
the First Brigade, he directed that regiment into this trail toward
the ford. The regiment was to lead the way through this new trail and
would consequently arrive at the front first on the left; but meeting
the fire of the enemy, the First Battalion of the regiment apparently
became panic stricken and recoiled upon the rest of the regiment; the
regiment then lay down on the sides of the trail and in the bushes,
thoroughly demoralized.

Wikoff's brigade was now coming up and it was directed upon the same
trail. This brigade consisted of the Ninth, Thirteenth and
Twenty-fourth. Colonel Wikoff was directed by General Kent to move his
brigade across the creek by the trail (the left fork) and when
reaching the opposite side, of the creek to put the brigade in line on
the left of the trail and begin the attack at once. In executing this
order the entire brigade stumbled through and over hundreds of men of
the Seventy-first New York Regiment. When a volunteer regiment broke
through the lines of the Ninth Cavalry from the rear, that regiment
was in its place on the field in line of battle, with its morale
perfect. It was under discipline and delivering its fire with
regularity. It had an absolute right to its place. The Seventy-first
was in no such attitude, and General Kent directed the advance through
it in these words: "Tell the brigade to pay no attention to this sort
of thing; it is highly irregular." The Ninth Cavalry's position was
exactly _regular_; the position of the Seventh-first was to the eyes
of General Kent "highly irregular."

The three regiments of this brigade were to take their positions on
the left of the ford after crossing the stream, in the following
order: On the extreme left the Twenty-fourth, next to it in the centre
of the brigade, the Ninth, and on the right of the brigade the
Thirteenth. In approaching the ford the Ninth and Twenty-fourth became
mixed and crossed in the following order: First one battalion of the
Ninth; then a battalion of the Twenty-fourth; then the second
battalion of t