tion, for the rebels were sheltered by the woods,
while our troops were forced to advance over an open country, cut
up by ravines parallel to McLaws' front, which broke up their
organization to some extent, and destroyed the _elan_ of the attack.
After a brief artillery contest, which soon ended, as the enemy
were out of ammunition, Brooks' division went forward about 4 P.M.,
and made a gallant charge, in which Bartlett's brigade, aided by
Willston's battery, captured the buildings and drove in part of
Wilcox's line. The New Jersey brigade charged at the same time on
his right, and Russell's brigade on his left. Wilcox placed himself
at the head of his reserve regiments, and aided by Semmes' brigade,
made a fierce counter-charge. The combat for the school-house
raged with great fury, each party breaking the other's line and
being broken in turn. Finally, after much desperate fighting,
Bartlett was obliged to yield the portion of the crest he had held
which was a key to the position; for as he was not strongly and
promptly reinforced, as he should have been, his withdrawal from
the church and school-house made a gap which forced the other
portions of the line to retreat to avoid being taken in flank.
Brooks was therefore driven back to the shelter of the guns at the
Toll House. Then Newton's division came up and formed on his right
and part of Howe's division on the left.

The Union artillery was well served and destructive, and as Newton
had arrived, McLaws found his farther progress checked and was glad
to get back to the ridge. Bartlett's attack should have been
deferred until Newton's division was near enough to support it.
In that case it would undoubtedly have succeeded.

Sedgwick's left now rested on a point nearly a mile from Salem
Church, while his right under Wheaton was somewhat advanced.

Up to this time the fight had been between Brooks' division and
McLaws' mixed command. It was now decided that a second attempt
should be made by Newton's division, but Newton states that the
design was abandoned because Howe's division, which was to support
him, had gone into camp without orders, and was not immediately
available. Before new arrangements could be made darkness came
on, and both armies bivouacked on the ground they occupied. Brooks'
division in the assault just made had lost 1,500 men, and Sedgwick
no longer felt confident of forcing his way alone through the
obstacle that beset him. Neverthele