246 TIVO DAYS OF BATTLE AT SEI/EN PINES.

SUMNER’S CORPS CROSSING THE OVERFLOWED “GRAPEVINE” BRIDGE TO REENFORCE COUCH AT FAIR OAKS.[SEE MAP, P. 226.] FROM A SKETCH MADE AT THE TIME.

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parallel to the Nine-mile road, which would bring Hampton into line of bat-tle on Pettigrew’s left, in the attack General Johnston proposed to make. Iremained at that point until Hampton’s brigade had filed out of the Nine-mileroad; then gave directions to Hatton’s brigade to continue moving on the Nine-mile road, which would bring it into position as a reserve, to the line of battleformed by the brigades of Whiting, Pettigrew, and Hampton. In the mean-time the action had commenced near Pair Oaks. On reaching the easternedge of the wood I saw the leading troops moving north from Fair Oaks indirection almost exactly opposite to that in which I had given General Hamp-ton to understand that General Johnston’s movement would be made. In ashort time I saw our leading troops retiring. This was the second repulsespoken of by Colonel Frobel. I notified General Whiting of Hampton’s posi-tion, and soon learned from him that the previous attacks had been conductedwithout proper knowledge of the enemy’s position; but that a reconnoissancehad been made, and a combined attack by the three brigades would capture thebattery in a few minutes. Before this attack was arranged, Kirby’s batteryof six pieces and the first brigade of Sedgwick’s division reached Couch ’sline and the attack was repulsed. By this time Hatton’s brigade had comeup and was in the open field, close to the north side of the Nine-mile road.One regiment of Pettigrew’s brigade, in reserve, was in the same field about twohundred yards north of the road. Soon after the repulse of the three brigades,the firing on the Federal side greatly increased. General Johnston, who wasat the small grove north of Fair Oaks, sent word to me to have all the avail-