Wilder's defense
Wilder´s defense
Col. Wilder´s lightning brigade resisted the Confederate tide
When the Confederates broke the Union line at the Brotherton Farm on September 20, Union units here on the southern part of the battlefield were swept away like flakes of foam on a River. The Federals were simply overwhelmed and were forced to flee.
The union mounted infantry brigade of Col. John T. Wilder witness to that disaster. Armed with deadly seven shots Spencer repeating rifles Wilder´s men counterattacked on foot, driving Manigault´s Confederate brigade backward toward the Lafayette Road.
Soon Wilder realized his brigade was isolated, and withdrew to this hill which he defended against repeated Confederate assaults. Wilder then fell back to the northwest to guard the retreating columns and wagon trains of the routed Union right.
Plaque courtesy Lat34North.com.
Original page, with additional info, here.
Photo credit: Byron Hooks of Lat34North.com.