Fury On The Fence Line

In the early afternoon, Union troops fought at the fence line to hold off advancing Confederates after an initial Union success at 11:40 am gave way to a Confederate counterattack that struck a gap in the Union line and sent Federal forces retreating in disarray. Ordered to stem the tide, Union brigade commander Gen. George Beal first deployed the 114th New York 150 yards to the front, then formed the rest of his brigade along the edge of the First Woods and advanced to the fence line. The Federals tore down the fence, turned it into a rail breastwork, and opened fire on Confederate Gen. John B. Gordon's troops, checking their advance. Gordon's men took shelter in gullies and behind trees and fired back, while Confederate artillery from the other side of Red Bud Run sent shot and shell into the Union flank and rear. At one point the pressure became too great and Beal's men fell back to the edge of the woods, but they quickly regrouped, charged back to the fence, and continued the battle. Beal held the position until his men ran out of ammunition, then retired to the edge of the First Woods, having accomplished their mission. Near this spot on the morning of September 19, 1864, Maj. William Knowlton of the 29th Maine Infantry, part of Beal's brigade, was mortally wounded after telling Captains Alfred Turner and William Whitmarsh that he felt it would be his last battle and asking them to watch over the regiment. Adjutant John Mead Gould said Knowlton's death was a tremendous blow to the regiment.

Virginia · United States