Point Blank Volley

Captain Charles Griffin's cannon, a section of Battery D, 5th U.S. Artillery, fired only two rounds when an unidentified line of infantry approached from the fence ahead. Griffin proclaimed them the enemy, but his commanding officer, the army's chief of artillery, disagreed. Reassured, the gunners resumed firing on the Confederate artillery in the distance. The infantry advanced within forty paces of this position, point blank range, and leveled their muskets. A thunderous volley tore through the battery, and within moments the position was overrun by Confederates. Though the 33rd Virginia momentarily captured these guns, the battle was far from over, and Union reinforcements were coming up the hill from Sudley Road.

Sudley, Virginia · United States