f of his men were killed or wounded,
and Rowley's division suffered in the same proportion. Hardly a
field officer remained unhurt. After five color-bearers of the
24th Michigan Volunteers had fallen, Colonel Morrow took the flag
in his own hands, but was immediately prostrated. A private then
seized it, and, although mortally wounded, still held it firmly in
his grasp. Similar instances occurred all along the line. General
Robinson had two horses shot under him. He reported a loss of
1,667 out of 2,500. Buford was in a distant part of the field,
with Devin's brigade, covering the retreat of the Eleventh Corps,
and already had all he could attend to. He expressed himself in
unequivocal terms at the idea that he could keep back Hill's entire
corps with Gamble's cavalry brigade alone.

As Howard seemed to have little or no confidence in his troops on
Cemetery Hill, he was perhaps justified in retaining them in line
there for the moral effect they would produce.

About the time the Eleventh Corps gave way on the right, the
Confederate forces made their final advance in double lines, backed
by strong reserves, and it was impossible for the few men left in
the First Corps to keep them back, especially as Pender's large
division overlapped our left for a quarter of a mile; Robinson's
right was turned, and General Paul was shot through both eyes in
the effort to stem the tide. They could not contend against Ramseur
in front, and O'Neill on the flank, at the same time.

Under these circumstances it became a pretty serious question how
to extricate the First Corps and save its artillery before it was
entirely surrounded and captured.

Biddle, Morrow, and Dana were all forced back from the ridge they
had defended so long, which bordered Willoughby's Run. Each brigade
was flanked, and Stone's men under Dana were assailed in front and
on both flanks. Yet even then Daniel speaks of the severe fighting
which took place before he could win the position.

What was left of the First Corps after all this slaughter rallied
on Seminary Ridge. Many of the men entered a semi-circular rail
entrenchment which I had caused to be thrown up early in the day,
and held that for a time by lying down and firing over the pile of
rails. The enemy were now closing in on us from the south, west,
and north, and still no orders came to retreat. Buford arrived
about this time, and perceiving that Perrin's brigade in swinging
around to e