Lt. Col. Thomas Griffin of the 18th Mississippi sent Company H to scout toward the river and get on the Federal far left. The men crept around the Federal line to the edge of the bluff, turned north, and headed straight toward the Federal left flank. About this time, Col. Edward Baker seems to have finally realized the vulnerability of his left flank. Two companies of the 15th Massachusetts were shuttled left to bolster the threatened sector. Four companies of Federals now directly faced seven companies from the 18th Mississippi. Throughout this period, fighting on Baker’s right flank was light and fitful.1
After its initial bloody repulse and reorganization, those seven companies of the 18th Mississippi shifted to their right to occupy the high ground above the ravine. They used the depression to securely shuttle troops into position in the thick woods. The men did not need to worry, for the woods were so thick that no one could see far in any direction. A Mississippi private recalled that he could not see the enemy, but when it came time to fire, he and his comrades left fly “volley after volley into this obstruction that hid our view.” Col. Isaac Wistar of the 1st California claimed that the Mississippians charged a total of five times down the ravine toward the Federal position, and were thrown back each time.2
Two more companies from Col. Milton Cogswell’s 42nd New York arrived and were moved promptly to the left. They “arrived on the field, cheering most heartily,” remembered Cogswell, but by this time the Confederates “had obtained too strong possession of the hills to be dislodged.”3
Before its problematic withdrawal, the 8th Virginia on the western edge of the open field maintained an effective fire against the Federals across the field in front of it, knocking down both men and horses with its accurate fire. Some of the Federal officers, including Cols. Baker, Cogswell, and William Lee were happy to see Bramhall’s piece arrive, and helped wheel it into position. It too became the focal point of enemy small arms fire though it and the mountain howitzers did good service during the course of the fight.4
About this time in the battle, a series of firefights erupted, with companies often fighting independently of one another. According to a Federal officer in the 20th Massachusetts, “the fight was made up of charges” where company commanders would “rush out in front & cry ‘forward’ & their companies would follow them at full speed under a tremendous fire till they were obliged to fall back.” As the woods and field filled with powder smoke, Southern reinforcements in the form of the 17th Mississippi arrived and deployed for action.5
On the right side of the Confederate line, members of the 18th Mississippi continued applying pressure against the Federal left flank. The escalating fighting there triggered a disaster for the Federals when Southern small arms severely wounded Col. Isaac Wistar of the 1st California and killed Col. Baker, who was standing in the open field near the 1st California’s position. Capt. Crowninshield of the 20th Massachusetts left a good account of what transpired: “[W]e heard a tremendous cheering on our left…the men there were giving way, at the expected charge of the enemy.…We drove them back by a good shower of bullets. The bullets flew about very thick, and I saw many of my men fall all about me.…Col. Baker came down near me and cheered on the men…he was shot. He got up again and then fell, struck by eight balls, as I afterwards learned.” The Federal commander at Ball’s Bluff was dead. Unfortunately for the Federals, Baker fell without designating a second in command.6
When word of Baker’s death spread through the ranks, men on the left began drifting toward the river. Capt. Louis Bieral refused to allow his dead commander’s body to fall into the hands of the enemy. “Do you wish to leave the body of our beloved Col. in the hands of the enemy?” he is said to have yelled. Bieral shot a rebel stooping over Baker’s body and ran forward to the corpse, while others engaged in hand-to-hand combat around the prone colonel.7