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Captain James E. Smith, commanding the 4th New York Battery: “I placed two sections of my battery on a hill (near the Devil’s Cave) on the left of General Birney’s line...Anderson’s brigade, of Hood’s division, Longstreet’s corps (rebel), charged upon us...I used case shot upon the advancing column until it entered the woods, when I fired shell until they emerged from the woods on my left flank, in line of battle 300 yards distant; then I used canister with little effect, owing to numerous large rocks, which afforded excellent protection to their sharpshooters.” Smith’s battle report, in War of the Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, series I, volume 27, part 1, page 588
Brigadier General Henry L. Benning, Brigade commander: “[T]he whole line commenced ascending the rugged steep and (on the right) crossing the gorge. The ground was difficult--rocks in many places presenting, by their precipitous sides, insurmountable obstacles, while the fire of the enemy was very heavy and very deadly. The progress was, therefore, not very rapid, but it was regular and uninterrupted. After awhile the enemy were driven from their three front guns.” Benning’s battle report, in War of the Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, series I, volume 27, part 2, page 415
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