gs weighing thirty pounds each. In immediate support came
the remainder of Weitzel's brigade in column of regiments, in the
order of the 8th Vermont, 114th New York, and 160th New York,
followed by the main body of Morgan's brigade. Birge was in close
support and Kimball in reserve. Finally, in the rear, as in Paine's
formation, was massed the artillery of the division.

Toward the north face of the priest-cap the only approach was by
the irregular, but for some distance nearly parallel, gorges cut
out from the soft clay of the bluffs by Sandy Creek and one of its
many arms. The course of these streams being toward the Confederate
works, the hollows grew deeper and the banks steeper at every step.
At most the creeks were but two hundred yards apart, and the ridge
that separated them gave barely standing room. Within a few feet
of the breastworks the smaller stream and its ravine turned sharply
toward the north and served as a formidable ditch until they united
with the main stream and ravine below the bastion. This larger
ravine near its outlet and the natural ditch throughout its length
were mercilessly swept by the fire of the bastion on the right,
the breastworks in front, and the priest-cap on the left. The
smaller ravine led toward the south to the crest from which Paine's
men had recoiled, where their wounded and their dead lay thick,
and behind which the survivors were striving to restore the broken
formations.

Weitzel therefore chose the main ravine. Bearing to the right from
the Jackson road, the men moved by the flank and cautiously, availing
themselves of every advantage afforded by the timber or the
irregularities of the ground, until they gained the crest of the
ridge at points varying from twenty to fifty yards from the works
near the north face of the priest-cap. In advancing to this position
the column came under fire immediately on filing out of the ravine
and the wood in front of the position of battery No. 9. Then, in
such order as they happened to be, they went forward with a rush
and a cheer, but beyond the crest indicated few men ever got. From
this position it was impossible either to advance or retire until
night came.

At the appointed hour Dwight sent the 6th Michigan, under
Lieutenant-Colonel Bacon, and the 14th Maine, to the extreme left
to make an attempt in that quarter, the arrangements for which have
been already described; but either Dwight gave his orders too late,
or t