jameswoods
Private
- Joined
- Jul 29, 2015
At 7:15 p.m. EST, except for Jones' Confederate brigade at the eastern bank of Rock creek posing the only threat to the Union brigades defending that height, the remaining hour of daylight seemed an unlikely time for the opening of any hostilities at the barbed end of the AOP's fishhook line.
However, all was not how it appeared. Within ten minutes time, Jones' brigade would start to cross Rock creek and Avery's left regiments would start their advance culminating in a left wheel that would bring the North Carolina brigade in line with Hay's Louisiana brigade in a surprise attack on East Cemetery Hill. Hays would delay his regiments forward movement for a half hour to allow Avery to complete his left wheel.
Incredibly, at approximately 7:20 p.m., Lockwood's 12th Corps' brigade had already started to lead most of the Corps' away from Culp's Hill toward Meade's left.
Twenty minutes later, just as Federal skirmishers were starting to fall back toward ECH, General Doubleday finished giving an arousing speech to soldiers of the 13th Vermont as five companies of that regiment were hurried off down the Taneytown road in response to an urgent call for assistance by General Hancock. It was promptly followed by the 14th and 16th Vermont and then by Dana's brigade at approximately 7:50 p. m. , at which time all 12th Corps' brigades except for Greene's had vacated Culp's Hill.
Coulter's and Baxter's brigades (Robinson's Division, 1st Corps) followed quickly after Dana so that by 8:15 p.m., only Biddle's brigade had not moved out of its reserve position (it would do so in less than five minutes time). See attached maps (and legend for color coded brigades) for an appreciation of the change in conditions within that one hour.
However, all was not how it appeared. Within ten minutes time, Jones' brigade would start to cross Rock creek and Avery's left regiments would start their advance culminating in a left wheel that would bring the North Carolina brigade in line with Hay's Louisiana brigade in a surprise attack on East Cemetery Hill. Hays would delay his regiments forward movement for a half hour to allow Avery to complete his left wheel.
Incredibly, at approximately 7:20 p.m., Lockwood's 12th Corps' brigade had already started to lead most of the Corps' away from Culp's Hill toward Meade's left.
Twenty minutes later, just as Federal skirmishers were starting to fall back toward ECH, General Doubleday finished giving an arousing speech to soldiers of the 13th Vermont as five companies of that regiment were hurried off down the Taneytown road in response to an urgent call for assistance by General Hancock. It was promptly followed by the 14th and 16th Vermont and then by Dana's brigade at approximately 7:50 p. m. , at which time all 12th Corps' brigades except for Greene's had vacated Culp's Hill.
Coulter's and Baxter's brigades (Robinson's Division, 1st Corps) followed quickly after Dana so that by 8:15 p.m., only Biddle's brigade had not moved out of its reserve position (it would do so in less than five minutes time). See attached maps (and legend for color coded brigades) for an appreciation of the change in conditions within that one hour.