It was around 3 p.m. when Doles attacked Amsberg and Krzyzanowski. Heavily outnumbered, Doles was in for a fight. But Early quickly surmised that he needed help and order the brigade of General John B. Gordon to assist in the assault. Gordon's embattled 1,300 men filed in and connected with Doles' left, then marched forward toward Ames' line and Gilsa's 1,300 troops on the knoll. "Gordon's assault was a beautiful example of the effectiveness of shock tactics. Putting on a most 'warlike' and 'animated' spectacle, his men under heavy fire charged over rail and plank fences, scrambled across [Rock] Creek, and overran the knoll" (Coddington, 1968, p. 292). Aided by sharpshooters from O'Neal's brigade, Doles' force began to hit Ames hard on their left, creating quite a tense situation for the Federals.

General Barlow, who had been commanding in thick of the fighting, fell wounded on the knoll while trying to keep his men from running. Taking his place in command, Ames rallied the retreating Federals to form a second line. But just as they were reforming two more Confederate brigades of Early's division - those of Harry Hays (1,300) and Isaac Avery (1,250) - came storming in from the Harrisburg Road to the east, hitting the Union right flank with a vengeance.

It was around 3:45 p.m. when the Federal line began to waiver. But it faced the threat of a rout if help was not provided to slow the attacks of Avery and Hays. That help came from Coster's brigade, initially placed on Cemetery Hill. Howard, seeing the danger of the situation, order Coster forward to help clear the way for a Federal retreat through town toward the hill. Coster then rushed forward and deployed his 1,400 men just beyond the railroad station on the east side of Harrisburg Street (Coddington, 1968). And the battery of Lewis Heckman was positioned at the Carlisle Road on the college grounds. Coster's troops, despite heavy pressure from two sides, held strong and delayed the onslaught long enough for Ames' men to scurry past.

With the Union line beginning to collapse to the north of town and renewed attacks being imminent against Paul's Oak Ridge line, things were getting more and more precarious for the Federals. Attacks were now being coordinated against Stone, Meredith, and Biddle, and more Confederate reinforcements from Dorsey Pender's division were coming up. Soon the whole Union line would be on the edge of collapse.

Next article: Second attack on McPherson's Ridge and the advent of Lee on the scene

Sources

Coddington, E.B. (1968). The Gettysburg Campaign: A Study in Command. New York: Charles Scrbiner's Sons.

Hassler, Jr. W. W. (1970). Crisis at the Crossroads: The First Day at Gettysburg. Gettysburg: Stan Clark Military Books.

Nofi, A.A. (1986). The Gettysburg Campaign. Pennsylvania: Combined Books.