Gibbon's Advance

When Gen. George G. Meade's division surged unexpectedly forward through the fields on your left, Gen. John Gibbon's men scrambled to advance on Meade's right. Gibbon arranged his forces and ordered Gen. Nelson Taylor's brigade to attack the Confederates.

Taylor's attack had little chance of success. "They were on a hill in the woods," observed one Union soldier, "and we were on a level plain below without any shelter." Still, Taylor's four regiments advanced over the prone skirmish line and made a go of it. One of the regiments, which had never seen combat, unleashed a volley that apparently frightened the shooters into retreat. Taylor helped to step the tide of retreat, but the rest of the brigade fared little better. As Taylor's men topped a rise in front of you, North Carolinians poured lead into them, and Gibbon's attack came to a standstill. Gibbon needed to commit more troops, and soon.

"When the Yankees came within range of our rifles, we opened fire with appalling effect, as ample evidence showed after the bloody battle was over."
- Pvt. George W. Cochran, 37th North Carolina Infantry, CSA

"We received orders from General Taylor to advance and engage the enemy, which was done, to within about 150 yards of the enemy's position; during which advance it was exposed to a most galling fire of small-arms."
- Capt. Christian Kuhn, 11th Pennsylvania Infantry, USA

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