The Confederates on Manor's Hill

The Confederates on Manor's Hill. The Pause Before the "Storm of Shot and Shell". , Time: Mid Afternoon , When the Confederates attacked the Federals here on the River Road/Manor's Hill line, shortly after noon, they met little resistance. Seeing his troops were outmanned, Union commander Gen. Franz Sigel had ordered most of them to withdraw to Bushong's Hill, about a mile in front of you, to form a new line along with additional troops just arriving on the field., But Sigel ordered two regiments, the 18th Connecticut and 123rd Ohio, to create a line on Rice's Hill, just 400 yards to your front. He hoped they could slow down the Confederates long enough to give his other troops time to establish the new position on Bushong's Hill., When the Confederates reached this height in the wake of the withdrawing Federals, they stopped long enough to reform their lines before resuming their attack. Southern artillery opened fire and engaged Union cannon. To the east (your right), a company of the 22nd Virginia had already made certain that New Market was clear of Federals, and Gen. John Imboden took his cavalry on a sweeping move to the other side of Smith Creek., Gen. Gabriel Wharton's brigade made up the bulk of the troops here on the high ground, with the VMI Cadets in reserve and the four cannon of Jackson's Battery, commanded by Lt. Randolph H. Blain, providing artillery support. Breckinridge had also moved the 26th Virginia Battalion, part of Gen. John Echols brigade, to the left end of the line, in the hopes of turning the Union flank. Echols accompanied the 20th leaving the rest of his brigade near the Valley Pike under the command of Col. George S. Patton. Breckinridge himself galloped up to this height just before his next advance., About 2pm, the Confederates moved forward to attack the Rice's Hill line, advancing across the ground in front of you. The foot soldiers cried out with the Rebel yell, and Jackson's guns fired in support - the entire force letting loose a "storm of shot and shell." For the outmanned Federals waiting on Rice's Hill, the outlook was bleak., (Captions):, Confederate artillery in action. , Detail from "Virginia 1864", an 1888 chromolithograph by William L. Sheppard., Lt. Randolph H. Blain in later years. Blain commanded the Confederate cannon here on Manor's Hill., This marker was made possible through the generosity of Stephen Dement.