Thursday, July 21, 2011

3:00 PM: The finale on Henry Hill

Henry Hill
McDowell had one final card to play, the fresh brigade of Oliver Otis Howard, which he had ordered to quick-march along the same path that Burnside and the others had followed that morning. But it would not be enough. Johnston’s work reinforcing was finally paying off, as the brigades of Early and Kirby Smith arrived on the battlefield and extended the Confederate line across Sudley Road and around the Union flank.

At the base of Henry Hill, near the intersection of the Sudley Road and the Warrenton Turnpike, Sherman was doing his best to try to lead whatever men he could find. At about 3:30, he wrote,
…began the scene of confusion and disorder that characterized the rest of the day. Up to that time all [in his brigade] had seemed perfectly cool, and used to the shell and shot that fell, comparatively harmless, around us…[but then] men fell away from their ranks, talking, and in great confusion.
Blackburn Ford 

Miles, receiving Fry’s message, did not send a brigade to Stone Bridge, but did order Richardson to move down from his hill to threaten Blackburn Ford. But at the same time, Johnston had ordered Longstreet, Ewell, and the brigade of Jones across Bull Run to threaten Richardson’s position.

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