he column mistook the path, or else the difficulties were really
greater than they had been thought beforehand or than they afterward
seemed, for nothing came of it. Then recalling this detachment to
the Mount Pleasant road, Dwight tried to advance in that direction.
The 14th Maine was sent back to its brigade and Clark deployed his
own regiment, the 6th Michigan, as skirmishers, supported by the
128th New York, now commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel James Smith.
The 15th New Hampshire followed and the 26th Connecticut, under
Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Selden, brought up the rear. These two
regiments went forward in column of companies on the main road,
but as the Confederates immediately opened a heavy artillery fire
upon the head of the column, they had to be deployed. However,
the ground, becoming rapidly narrower, did not long permit of an
advance in this order, so that it soon became necessary to ploy
once more into column. About 350 yards from the outer works the
Mount Pleasant road enters and crosses a deep ravine by a bridge,
then destroyed. The hollow was completely choked with felled
timber, through which, under the heavy fire of musketry and artillery,
it was impossible to pass; so here the brigade stayed till night
enabled it to retire. Nickerson's brigade supported the movement
of Clark's, but without becoming seriously engaged. Thus ended
Dwight's movement. It can hardly be described as an assault, as
an attack, or even as a serious attempt to accomplish any valuable
result; yet indirectly it was the means of gaining, and at a small
cost, the greatest, if not the only real, advantage achieved that
day, for it gave Dwight possession of the rough hill, the true
value of which was then for the first time perceived, and on the
commanding position of its northern slope was presently mounted
the powerful array of siege artillery that overlooked and controlled
the land and water batteries on the lower flank of the Confederate
defences.

Of Augur's operations in the centre, it is enough to say that the
feigned attack assigned to this portion of the line was made briskly
and in good order at the appointed time, without great loss.

The result of the day may be summed up as a bloody repulse; beholding
the death and maiming of so many of the bravest and best of the
officers and men, the repulse may be even termed a disaster. In
the whole service of the Nineteenth Army Corps darkness never shut
in upon a gloom