STOP 3
Battery Heights
Continue eastward on 29 by making a "U" turn at the first crossover,
300 feet west of the Brawner's Farm Road. Proceed .4 mile to a lane on
the north side of the road bordered by a snake fence; turn in and park.
This is Battery Heights. Read the signs provided by the Park Service, then
walk halfway to the gun battery visible to the northeast. This area marks
the eastern flank of Gibbon's force in the Brawner's Farm struggle.
Again on 28 August, between 1800 and 2400, General Gibbon had committed
the 6th Wisconsin on his right. It moved right down to the northern edge
of the ridge on which the Park Service guns now are located.
As remembered by members of the 6th Wisconsin,
the regiment advanced in line of battle across a field. Soon we heard
a rip-rip, but did not fully realize the situation until the boys began
to fall .... We finally reached the assignment ... and the old 6th gave
a volley that awoke a cheer from the other three regiments and a corresponding
yell from that other side.... From then on, for about 2½ hours,
the fight was terrific. So near together was the fighting lines that by
the flash of the muskets we could see the enemy distinctly and they us.
We did not remember to have heard another order than the first given, except
an occasional one from the officers, "Give them hell! boys, give them hell!"
Major Rufus Dawes of the 6th Wisconsin described the scene:
When Colonel Cutler shouted "March," every man scrambled up the bank
and over the fence, in the face of shot and shell, with something of the
feeling that one would hurry to save a friend from peril. My horse partook
of the fierce excitement, and ran up the bank and leaped a fence like a
squirrel. I could now see the men of the Second Wisconsin. They were under
the concentrated fire of at least six times their own number of the enemy.
Our regiment, five hundred and four men in ranks, pushed forward rapidly
in perfect line of battle, field officers and Adjutant E. P. Brooks mounted
and in their places, and colors advanced and flying in the breeze.
The regiment advanced without firing a shot, making a half wheel to
the left in line of battle as accurately as if on the drill ground. Through
that battle smoke into which we were advancing, I could see a blood red
sun, sinking behind the hills. I can not account for our immunity from
the fire of the enemy while on this advance. When at a short range, Colonel
Cutler ordered the regiment to halt and fire. Our united fire did great
execution. It seemed to throw the rebels into complete confusion and they
fell back into the woods behind them. We now gave a loud and jubilant cheer
throughout the whole line of our brigade. Our regiment was on low ground
which, in the gathering darkness, gave us great advantage over the enemy,
as they overshot our line. The other three regiments of the brigade were
on higher ground than the enemy. There was space enough vacant between
our regiment and the others for a thousand men. Colonel Cutler sat upon
his horse near the colors at the center of the regiment. Lieut. Colonel
Bragg was on the right and, being myself upon the left, I was in good position
to observe the progress of the battle. It was quite dark when
the enemy's yelling columns again came forward, and they came with a
rush. Our men on the left loaded and fired with the energy of madmen, and
the sixth worked with an equal desperation. This stopped the rush of the
enemy, and they halted and fired upon us their deadly musketry. During
a few awful moments, I could see by the lurid light of the powder flashes,
the whole of both lines. I saw a rebel mounted officer shot from his horse
at the very front of their battle line. It was evident that we were being
overpowered and that our men were giving ground. The two crowds, they could
hardly be called lines, were within, it seemed to me, fifty yards of each
other, and they were pouring musketry into each other as rapidly as men
could load and shoot. Two of General Doubleday's regiments [56th Pennsylvania
and 76th New York] now came suddenly into the gap on the left of our regiment,
and they fired a crashing volley. Hurrah! They have come at the very nick
of time. The low ground saved our regiments, as the enemy overshot us in
the darkness.
Moving about along the woodline just to your west, the 76th New York and
56th Pennsylvania of Doubleday's Brigade were rushed on line between the
7th and 6th Wisconsin.
But a few moments elapsed after entering the wood, before sharp and
continuous musketry firing was heard very near, and up the hill hidden
by the woods. A strange mounted officer came riding down through the woods,
shouting——
"Come on! Come on! Quick! Quick!"
The Seventy-sixth was immediately in motion-over fences, through the
bushes, around the trees, over logs-the bullets and shells tearing through
the woods like a hail storm through a wheat field, on rushed the Regiment.
Several of the men were killed and wounded before leaving the wood. After
going about twenty rods, the Regiment emerged into an open field. Here
was battle in real earnest.
Just at this juncture, as the rebels were preparing in great numbers
in the woods beyond, for a charge upon our lines, the Seventy-sixth New
York and Fifty-sixth Pennsylvania were ordered into line to fill a gap
between the Sixth and Seventh Wisconsin.
During a lull in the action, a body of men was seen moving on the extreme
left flank. As they came forward they shouted——
"Don't shoot your own men!"
At that distance it seemed doubtful whether they were friend or enemies,
and it was not without much hesitation that the Colonel gave the order,
"By the left oblique! Aim! Fire!"
No rebel of that column who escaped death, will ever forget that volley.
It seemed like one gun. So well was it directed by our men, as could be
judged by the immediate results, that there can be no doubt it very materially
contributed to the repulse of this attempted flank attack.
The Regiment had been thoroughly drilled in firing and target practice,
and it seemed as though every man took deadly aim, and brought down one
or more of the enemy.
When the smoke cleared away a little, the few left of that mass of human
beings who had so rapidly left the woods a few moments before, had disappeared,
but the ground was literally covered with their dead and wounded. (as
recalled by A. P. Smith, in 76th Regiment, New York Volunteers)
Campbell's Battery (B, 4th U.S.) had followed the 6th Wisconsin; it set
up first north of the parking lot, then farther out on the ridge where
the guns are located now.
Monroe's Battery (D, 1st Rhode Island Light) posted two guns west of
the parking lot.
The 95th New York of Doubleday's Brigade provided security for the guns.
It was joined by the 30th New York of Hatch's Brigade. Hatch's guns fired
support east from near Groveton.
The fighting ended about 2000. After a conference, General King decided
to withdraw about 0100, 29 August.
Activity in the area was renewed on 29 August as the Federals probed
eastward in an effort to fix Jackson's force for what Pope hoped was a
final blow.
On 29 August, about 0500, elements of Sigel's Corps attacked.
At 0900 Schenck's Division of Sigel's Corps reached this point as the
left flank of Sigel's attack. Stahel's Brigade straddled the road while
McClean's extended southward.
Reynold's Division moved overland from Conrad's (now the SR 234/1-66
intersection) in response to Sigel's request for support on that flank.
Two brigades remained around the Lewis House (now where CR 622 goes over
I-66). Meade's Brigade went forward with Cooper's Battery (B, 1st Pennsylvania
Light). The battery moved east of the Brawner House with one regiment (4th
Pennsylvania Reserves) in support. The remainder of the brigade skirmished
westward in the direction of Pageland Lane as far as a line parallel to
the Brawner Farm Lane.
At 1000 Stahel moved to a point north of the Stonewall Memory Gardens,
along Dogan's Branch to be in a position to support Milroy's Brigade engaged
farther north.
McClean's Brigade gradually pulled back closer to Groveton to conform
with the new line.
At 1030 these changes required Meade to pull back from near Brawner's
Farm to south of the turnpike. Seymour's Brigade of Reynold's Division
moved up the Groveton Road and the Pike to relieve him, while Jackson's
Brigade came overland from the Lewis House to come on line. Meade's Brigade
then pulled back to the Lewis House.
Shortly thereafter, Reynolds learned of the large force coming in front
of him and pulled all his units back to the Lewis House area.
Between 1200 and 1600, after the Federals had withdrawn, Hood's Division
moved forward on both sides of the Pike to the eastern edge of the woods
just west of the parking lot. Colonel E. M. Law, brigade commander, said,
I was ordered by Brigadier General Hood. ... to form the brigade in
line of battle to the left of the turnpike and almost at right angles with
it, the right resting on the road and the left connecting with Gen. Jackson
, s line. The Texas Brigade had been previously formed on the right of
the road, its left joining my right. With a strong line of riflemen in
front, which drove the enemy's skirmishers as it advanced, the brigade
moved forward accompanied by Gens Longstreet and Hood until it reached
a commanding position about 3/41S of a mile from Dogan's House.
Hood later launched a night attack from here that will be described at
the next stop.
Later during the day Law moved forward to the east side of the Stonewall
Memory Gardens when Federal guns farther east all withdrew for ammunition
resupply.
On 30 August, about 1530, Porter's heavy attack could be seen clearly
from here .6 to .8 miles to the northeast. Confederate guns in this area
(the Dixie Artillery and other batteries on Douglas Heights beyond Brawner's
House) effectively shattered it. General Cadmus Wilcox observed the Federal
attack on Jackson's line from here.
About 3:30 p.m. the enemy's infantry were seen emerging from a wood
upon an open field in line of battle, the wood and field being in front
of Jackson's extreme right and to the left and near Featherston's Brigade,
this is a field about 500 yards wide and terminating 150 yards from Jackson's
line, the ground here rising rather steeply for a short distance and then
level to the railroad, behind the embankment of which at this point were
Jackson's men. Seeing this advance of the enemy, I repaired at once to
the interval between Pryor's and Featherston's Brigades. From this point
there was an excellent view of the field and not more than 400 yards distant.
The first line of the enemy advanced in fine style across the open field.
There was but little to oppose them. They were fired upon by our pickets
and skirmishers, but they continued to advance, and, ascending the rise
above referred to, came within full view of Jackson's line, and were here
received with a terrific fire of musketry at short range. They hesitated
for an instant, recoiling slightly, and then advanced to near the embankment.
Twice did I see this line advance and retire, exposed to a close and deadly
fire of musketry. Seeing a second line issuing from the woods upon the
field, I was in the act of ordering a battery to be placed in position
to fire upon them when a battery was directed by the major-general commanding
to fire upon them, this battery being near the turnpike in an excellent
and commanding position. The fire of the battery was most opportunely delivered
upon this advancing line of the enemy. They were caught in the open field.
The effect of every shot could be seen. A rapid fire of shot, shell, and
spherical case, delivered with admirable precision, checked their advance.
As the shells and spherical case would burst over in front and near them
their ranks would break, hesitate and scatter. This artillery fire alone
broke regiment after regiment and drove them back into the woods.
Jackson asked for assistance, and Longstreet decided artillery would be
the fastest solution. Colonel S. D. Lee's battalion of 9 smooth bores and
9 rifles was on the north side of the ridge between here and the Brawner
Farm. Lee said that, beginning about 1600,
with these 18 guns a continuous fire was kept up on the enemy during
his attack.... His reserves moved twice out of the woods to the support
of the attacking columns and twice were they repulsed by the artillery
and driven back to the woods. After the reserves failed to reach the front
or attacking columns they were repulsed and endeavored to rally in the
open field, but the range of every part of the field was obtained, and
a few discharges broke them in confusion and sent them back to the woods
... two batteries of the enemy were firing on us, but generally overshot
us.
General Longstreet, as noted above, also directed Chapman's Battery (Dixie
Artillery) onto the ground here. Chapman reported,
we moved instantly, and at a gallop, soon reached the point ... on
the left of the turnpike, 50 or 100 yards from it. . . . We went into position
where . . . indicated and commenced firing at a heavily massed body of
infantry on our left, not more than 400 yards distant.... I fired from
this position until their ranks were broken and driven back.