Hunter's Second Attack

Hunter's Second Attack. "Everyone Held His Position". , Late Morning, After DuPont's artillery bombardment, Col. Augustus Moor reinforced his brigade with the 28th Ohio. The brigade advanced over the crossroad in front of you and charged across this ground towards the Confederate position behind you. But once again a "withering and steady fire of musketry and artillery" checked Moor's advance., The flanks of the Union line crumbled, leaving the 28th Ohio alone at the center to your immediate left. The 45th Virginia launched a counterattack towards the Ohioans, and the 28th seemed in danger of being driven from the field. Moor ordered the men to lie down to fire near where the gravel driveway runs today, lessening their exposure, and they unleashed a crashing volley that slowed the attacking Confederates., Lt. Henry Ocker of the 28th Ohio recalled the scene: "The regiment went down flat on their bellies and loaded the muskets lying on their backs. The other regiments of the brigade to our right and left could with this fire hardly hold their line and made off, leaving us behind alone... Our artillery by their excellent case shot fire, helped a great deal... but the horrible mass of fire-spitting rifles which were aimed at the front of our regiment, brought us a great loss of men, dead and wounded, but no one gave ground, everyone held his position.", Meanwhile, Union Gen. Julius Stahel dismounted some of his cavalry 1,000 feet to your front to support the Ohioans on their flanks and cover their withdrawal - helped by pounding fire from Federal cannon. The 28th Ohio crawled rearward, stopping occasionally to fire, until they reached a spot where they could stand and march safely into the woods., After repulsing Hunter's second assault, Confederate Gen. William E. Jones sensed an opportunity for a large-scale counterattack that might win the day. He repositioned troops to prepare for an assault, including moving regiments from Gen. John C. Vaughn's Tennessee brigade from his right rear to his left wing - but in the process opened a dangerous gap in his line 500 yards behind you., To follow the next phases of the battle, turn right onto Battlefield Road and drive 500 yards to the parking area with the next set of interpretive markers., (Captions):, Color guard and band of the 28th Ohio. Col. Moor is the figure on the far left on the front row. , Courtesy Scott Patchan., Union Sgt. August Goebe, 28th Ohio. , Larry Strayer Collection , Union Gen. Julius Stahel being helped back onto his horse after being wounded in the arm. Stahel would receive the Medal of Honor in rocognition of his actions at Piedmont. , Image from Deeds of Valor., Confederate Gen. John C. Vaughn. , USAMHI.