our appearance, says General Garland, at this opportune moment, cheering and charging, decided the fate of the day. The enemy broke and retreated. Major Ratchford, of General Hill s staff, writes: "A short time before sunset, Generals Rodes, Anderson and Garland came to the writer and asked for General Hill, he being on some other part of the line. One of them said to me: Find General Hill, and say that unless we get orders to the contrary, we will throw our whole strength against one part of the line for the purpose of breaking it. I at once hunted him up, and he approved the plan. In a few minutes a small gap was made, and the Federals gave way on each side, as a sand dam will do when a small break is made in it. As the yell of victory moved along the lines, we could tell that the enemy were giving way. This, I claim, was the first breach made in the Federal line at Cold Harbor."[1] General Jackson had this to say of the attack of these brigades: "In advancing to the attack, Gen. D. H. Hill had to cross the swamp densely covered with undergrowth and young timber. On the further edge he encountered the enemy. The contest was fierce and bloody. The Federals fell back from the wood under protection of a fence, ditch and hill. . . . Again pressing forward, the Federals fell back, but only to select a position for more obstinate defense, when at dark, under pressure of our batteries, ... of the other concurring events of the field, and of the bold and dashing charge of General Hill s infantry, in which the troops of Brigadier-General Winder joined, the enemy yielded the field and fled in disorder."
Reilly’s battery, now attached to Whiting’s division, was of much service to its commander during this engagement.
On June 29th, General Lee directed Col. L. S. Baker, of the First North Carolina cavalry, to move down the Charles City road, and, by a bold reconnoissance, find
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- ↑ Manuscript Monograph on General Hill’s Life.
