6pm: Brawner's Farm, Rebs swarm over Yanks

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Brawner’s

Dusk was rapidly settling in, and John Gibbon was beginning to understand that he did not have a small rear guard in front of him. But since Jackson was still assumed to be at Centreville, what his men were shooting at, he had no idea: "As the enemy appeared to be now heavily re-enforced, the Sixth and Seventh Wisconsin were both ordered into line, and I sent repeated and earnest requests to division headquarters for assistance."

But nobody could find Rufus King (who was in fact undergoing an epileptic seizure). So Gibbon began asking his other brigade commanders for assistance. Patrick remained holed up on Stuart’s Hill and couldn’t or wouldn’t respond. Hatch had set up the artillery on a hill overlooking Groveton, but kept his infantry under cover. Doubleday had promised help when the two had conversed in person, but since he had left no additional regiments had come.

Meanwhile, on Jackson’s direct orders, Ewell had rushed one of his brigades forward to support the Stonewall Brigade on its left and threaten Gibbon’s right flank. Alexander Lawton’s Georgia Brigade moved into position, slightly behind and to the Stonewall Brigade’s left. In the gathering darkness, the 26th Georgia opened fire on the 2nd Virginia and no amount of screaming could stop the nervous Georgians. Several Virginians tried to sprint back to explain the error, but they were shot down in the process. The Virginians pressed themselves to the ground and waited for their compatriots to figure out the mistake.

The error corrected, the two brigades began a coordinated assault on Gibbon’s men. Lawton began moving his Georgians to threaten the exposed Union battery. Unable to secure help from Hatch, Gibbon shifted the 6th Wisconsin to protect it, setting it alone against several Georgia regiments.

As the sun set fifteen minutes before 7:00 pm, Doubleday at last dispatched two regiments to assist Gibbon.

Thoroughfare Gap

Ricketts, it was becoming clear, was outmanned and outgunned at the Gap. He could delay Longstreet, but it was becoming doubtful that he could remain in position throughout the night. He sent some of Percy Wyndham’s Jersey cavalry to make contact with George Bayard’s cavalry brigade in preparation for a retreat.