Pvt. Berry Benson, 1st South Carolina Infantry, Gregg's Brigade
About 4:00 p.m. the 4th Rhode Island and 16th Connecticut Infantry Of Col. Edward Harland's Brigade were below and in front of you. They constituted the left flank of the entire Union army that stretched for close to three miles north. The 8th Connecticut advanced with Col. Harrision Fairchild's Brigade all the way to the top of the far hill. This created a large gap in the line and it was into this gap where most of Gen. A. P. Hill's Confederates would strike.
Hill's Confederates marched seventeen miles from Harpers Ferry that day. Gregg's Brigade of South Carolinians attacked from your left (south). North Carolinians in Branch 's Brigade drove right (north) across the highest ground in front and into the flank of the 8th Connecticut and Fairchild's Brigade. Archer's Brigade, men from Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia, moved between Gregg and Branch, turned and drove toward you.
The 4th Rhode Island and 16th Connecticut tried to hold, but as one soldier described they, "stood for a few minutes trying to rally, swept by a destructive cross fire...Men were falling on every hand." They withdrew, further exposing Fairchild's men and the 8th Connecticut at the top of the hill who were forced to retreat. The entire 9th Corps collapsed from left to
right and fell back toward the bridge.
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