230 Southern Historical Society Papers.
instructions as before. Just after they came the enemy demonstrated against Jones' brigade, and I placed Battle's, of Rodes' division, to support it, with Doles on Battle's right. They were instructed not to allow themselves to become involved, but to fall back slowly, if pressed Some artillery posted near the pike, on Jones' front, was withdrawn. Soon afterwards the enemy fell suddenly upon Jones' right flank and front, broke his brigade and drove it back upon Battle's, which it disordered. Daniel's brigade, of Rodes' division, and Gor- don's, of Early' s, were soon brought up and regained the lost ground, the latter capturing, by a dashing charge, several hundred prisoners, and relieving Doles, who, though hard pressed, had held his ground. General J. M. Jones and his aide-de-camp, Captain Robert Early, fell in a desperate effort to rally their brigade. I placed it in reserve to reorganize Battle's brigade, which had rallied in time to do good service, taking its place in the line, which was now formed on the ground first occupied. The brigades were as follows from right to left of my line: Daniel, Doles, Battle (Rodes' division), G. H. Steuart's, "Stonewall" (Walker's), Stafford's (Johnson's division), Pegram, Hays, Gordon (Early's division); Battle's left and Steuart's right rested on the pike. Slight works were at once thrown up, and several partial attacks of the enemy repulsed. In a counter attack by Steuart's and Battle's brigades, two 24-pound howitzers, brought up the pike within eight hundred yards of our works, were captured. The troops were brought back to the works after posting skirmishers to hold the captured pieces till dark, when they were brought oft".
General Stafford was mortally wounded in a similar attack by his own and the "Stonewall" brigades late in the afternoon. The tight ing closed at dusk with the repulse of a fierce attack on Pegram 's brigade. General Pegram was severely wounded, and Colonel Hoff- man (Thirty first Virginia) succeeded to the command. This evening General Ramseur came up with the picket regiments, which rejoined their brigades. Ramseur went to the extreme right of my line next morning.
The 6th of May was occupied in partial assaults on my line, now greatly strengthened, and in efforts to find my flank, which were promptly checked. About 9 A. M. I got word from General Gordon, through General Early in person, that his scouts reported the enemy's right exposed, and he urged turning it; but his views were opposed by General Early, who thought the attempt unsafe. This necessi- tated a personal examination, which was made as soon as other duties permitted; but in consequence of this delay and other unavoidable
