220 Nortu Caroitina Troops, 1861-’65.

The fence had been more or less dismantled by time and was
in places very low.

To our right was the Fifth and then the Twelfth; to our
left the Thirteenth and then the Twentieth. An interval of
fully 250 yards separated the Thirteenth from the Twenty-
third, and one probably as great severed it from the Twen-
tieth.

Against Garland’s 1,000 Cox led 3,000 of Reno’s Corps.
The action begun at 9 a.m. From our elevated position we
had a full view of the movement in our front. Below us
in plain view, went forward through the woods the skirmish
line of the brigade. Near them and slowly drawing nearer
and nearer, came a dark-blue line. Yet they apparently did
not see each other. Not till the lines seemed within a few
yards of each other was the calm, radiant Sabbath morning
broken by the erack of rifles. The battle was on.

Our skirmish line was soon forced backward by weight of
numbers. General Garland seeing this, ordered Colonel Mc-
Rae to take his regiment, the Fifth, and the Twelfth regiment
and support the skirmish line. This he attempted to do,
but the main line of the enemy coming up at this juncture,
forced our skirmish line back in disorder and developed so
much strength that McRae not being able to prevent the ad-
vance, fell back to his position on our right.

The Federals now pressed forward, striking first the Thir-
teenth and Twentieth on our left. Here General Garland
fell. But as General Hill says, the main attack was against
the Twenty-third behind the stone wall (tumbled down stone
fence). A little later, but while still fiercely contending on
the left, assault after assault was made against our front.
These we beat off, inflicting heavy loss on the assailants. At
length Colonel Christie seeing that a still stronger foree which
was advancing against him could, while engaging his front,
envelop his left, sent his Adjutant, V. E. Turner (the writer
of this) to apprize General Garland of the situation. Finding
that Garland had fallen, the Adjutant, making his way to-
wards the rear of the Thirteenth and Twentieth, delivered
the message to Colonel McRae, then in command of the bri-
gade. Colonel McRae having no horse or Staff (General