directed against the Union centre, where it was supposed the
Confederate fire had done its work. What ensued was the finest
military spectacle that had been seen in the world since the charge of
the Old Guard at Waterloo; and the results were alike! The brave men
who made the onset were mowed down as they crossed rapidly the
intervening space. Hunt's batteries were quickly run back to their
position, and began to discharge their deadly contents against the
head of the oncoming column. That column veered somewhat to the right
as it came. The line staggered, but pressed on. It came within the
range of the Union musketry. Gaps opened here and there. Armistead,
who led the advance, saw his forces sink to the earth; but he did not
waver. Nearer and nearer the column came to the Union line. It
_struck_ the Union line. There was a momentary melee among the guns,
and then all was over. Hancock's infantry rose with flash on flash
from among the rocks by which they were partially protected. The
Confederates were scattered in broken groups. Retreat was well-nigh
impossible. The impact of the charge was utterly broken, and the
Confederate line was blown into rout and ruin. Victory hovered over
the National army. The Confederate forces staggered away under the
blow of defeat. Night came down on a broken and virtually hopeless
cause. The field was covered with the dead and dying. Two thousand
eight hundred and thirty-four Union soldiers had been killed outright;
13,709 were wounded, and 6643 were missing, making a total of 23,186
men. The Confederate loss was never definitely ascertained, but was
greatly in excess of that of the Federals. The best estimate has been
fixed at 31,621. The grand total of losses in those fatal three days
thus reached the enormous aggregate of 54,807!


SPOTTSYLVANIA.