Schenck's Advance

Schenck's Advance. "Such a Shower of Ball and Grape". , Mid-Afternoon, As Milroy stabbed at the Confederate defenses, Gen. Robert Schenck, on Milroy's right, moved forward more cautiously, fearful of being flanked - although he had a golden opportunity to outflank the Confederates. Schenck advanced to the ridge of higher ground 700 yards to your left front and deployed his men, including cannon commanded by Capt. William L. De Beck. As the infantry kept up a brisk fire, De Beck's guns dueled with Confederate artillery on this ridge, including guns commanded by Capt. John Brockenbrough 650 yards to your left. A southern infantryman described the combined rifle and cannon fire as, "Such a shower of ball and grape it is impossible for you to imagine.", As Milroy and Schenck approached, southern commander Gen. Richard S. Ewell dispatched the 31st Virginia, and eventually other reinforcements, to bolster this line. The defenders recalled that "as many as four charges were repulsed" and described "repeated attempts to penetrate our line.", But those were Milroy's advances, to your front; Schenck sent only skirmishers. At last or so he later reported - Schenck "believed that the moment for attacking and pressing the rebels successfully on this wing had now arrived" and planned "to order a charge which should sweep around the enemy's left flank." He was too late., Unnerved by the setbacks and pressure on the other end of the battlefield (a mile to your right), Fremont ordered a general withdrawal. Milroy said he "was never so astonished or thunderstruck." He believed that if Schenck had moved aggressively they "could have swept the battle field" and "captured the whole of Jackson's army." But the opportunity to break the Confederate left had slipped away. Schenck and Milroy fell back - some men "cursing the order to retreat" - and the Confederates held this ridgeline and the field., (Captions):, Union Gen. Robert Schenck. , Courtesy Library of Congress., Lt. William J. Rannells, 75th Ohio