Carson.] ob [Dec. 5, 



thirty or forty paces of the wall. He was badly repulsed, and withdrew, 

 leaving twelve hundred dead and wounded out of about twice that num- 

 ber. The second attack was made by Hancoclt with the First Division of 

 the Second Corps. His line broke within twenty-five paces of the wall. In 

 the short space of a quarter of an hour two thousand and thirteen lifeless 

 or mangled forms were added to the victims of the former attempt. 



Humphreys was next sent over. Gen. Palfrey says : "Some of the very 

 best fighting that was done at Fredericksburg was done by the Third 

 Division of the Fifth Corps. The division was commanded by Gen. Hum- 

 phreys, who was probably the best officer in the Army of the Potomac that 

 day. He was a thoroughly educated soldier, possessed of a quick eye and 

 a clear head, and a man of fiery energy. That the fighting his divison did 

 was so good was due to him."* 



He had but two brigades, one commanded by Col. Allabach, the other 

 by Brigadier-General E. B. Tyler. Several of his regiments had never 

 before been in battle. His men divested themselves of their knapsacks, 

 haversacks and overcoats, and then moved across the canal. Humphreys 

 in person formed the leading brigade in a ravine about three or four hun- 

 dred yards from the stone wall, and then led the advance in line of battle, 

 but found to his surprise that Couch's riien were lying down behind a 

 small fold in the ground about one hundred and fifty yards or less from the 

 wall. He then ordered a bayonet charge, but failed to carry the wall, 

 owing to the disorder into which his men were thrown by those who were 

 lying on the ground several ranks deep. Upon turning back to his second 

 brigade, he discovered that artillery had been placed by Hooker on the very 

 ground his troops must pass over.f Quickly riding to every gun he put a 

 stop to the firing, and led forward his second brigade, directing it to run 

 over the men in front. Notwithstanding the confusion incident to the 

 effort to obey this order, the onward impetus of the line carried it close to 

 the wall, when a sheet of flame ran along its entire length, accompanied 

 by a long roll of thunder, and wrapped the column in an embrace of fire. 

 Twilight was fast deepening, and amid the thick mists of the bottom land 

 every discharge was as brilliant as the trail of a rocket, thus adding to the 

 grandeur and terrors of the scene. 



Two horses were shot under the intrepid leader, who hastily mounted a 

 third, and continued to ride about amid the rain of missiles, bearing a 

 charmed life ; his clothing was pierced and rent, but his person was un- 

 hurt. Every officer of his staff but one, his son, was dismounted, and his 

 horse was badly wounded. In vain did Humphreys endeavor to halt his 

 men as they turned slowly backward. In vain did he endeavor to remedy 

 the disorder occasioned by the troops lying down whom he had been sent 



* Antietam aitd Fredericksljurg, by Gen. Palfrey. Scribner's Campaigns of the 

 Civil War. 



tNote to p. 252 of Campaigns of the Army of the Potomac, by VVm. Swinton. 

 Appendix, Revision and Reissue. Scribner, 1882. Humphreys' Charge on 

 Marye Heights. 



