Joined by the 15th and 20th Georgia regiments from Brig. Gen. Henry Benning’s Brigade, the 1st Texas renewed its advance. The Texans, however, quickly commingled with the 15th Georgia and despite the efforts of their officers, could not be separated. The regiments fought the rest of the day together. “We raised a deafening yell and went over the rock fence and up the hill shouting and yelling like demons,” wrote a Georgia private.
The 124th New York collided with the Confederates in the Triangular Field. Because of their losses, the New Yorkers probably numbered no more than 150 by this point and were no match for the three Confederate regiments. They quickly retreated to Ward’s main line on Houck’s Ridge. Scores of men fell killed and wounded during the brief but sharply-fought action including Colonel Ellis, who was shot from his horse and killed outright.17
A screaming Confederate shell damaged one of Smith’s guns, which several men manhandled out and dragged to the rear. The remaining cannoneers came under fire from Confederate sharpshooters. Fearing that his guns would be captured by the enemy onslaught, Smith rushed over to the New Yorkers and pleaded for their help. The infantry, however, were busy trying to maintain their own position. Smith knew retreating with his guns was impossible. Without any viable options, he decided to hold his position on the ridge as best he could.18
Meanwhile, the 48th Alabama renewed its attack on the 4th Maine as the 44th Alabama slid to its left, around the 4th’s right flank. The move shoved Federal skirmishers out of Devil’s Den, capturing about 40 of them in the process. Watching his left repulse yet another charge of the 48th Alabama, Colonel Walker shifted his regiment to the right. From his new vantage he could see the 44th Alabama approaching Houck’s Ridge, moving into the gap between the 4th Maine and the 124th New York. Smith’s guns were in imminent danger of being overrun. If this wasn’t enough, some in the 44th Alabama were working their way around his right flank and into his rear. Walker took immediate action, pulling his regiment back after it had fired about 25 rounds at the 48th Alabama. He quickly reformed the men and ordered them to fix bayonets. “I shall never forget the ‘click’ that was made by the fixing of bayonets, it was as one,” he wrote after the war. When his men were ready, Walker ordered a right oblique charge up the slope of Houck’s Ridge—the same area he did not want to vacate in the first place. “Our principal loss was in this place,” wrote Lieutenant Charles Sawyer. His men went down by the score.19
The Devil’s Den sector was an especially perilous place on the afternoon of July 2 because artillery on both sides focused their tubes there. Colonel Perry ordered his 44th Alabama to move down the slope where the men could find better shelter. Just as he was about to give this order, Georgians from Benning’s Brigade arrived. The 20th Georgia moved directly against Smith’s guns “with promptness and alacrity,” while the 17th Georgia on its right passed the 44th Alabama “gallantly and with impetuosity.” Benning’s right-most regiment, the 2nd Georgia, entered Plum Run Gorge.20
Realizing that he needed additional support, General Ward had earlier sent a desperate plea for assistance to his division commander, Maj. Gen. David Birney. The result yielded the 40th New York from de Trobriand’s brigade and the 6th New Jersey from Burling’s, and both rushed to the area to bolster Ward’s flagging prospects. Although there were no guides to lead them to Ward’s left, the sound of Smith’s cannons clearly marked the route.21
The Federal V Corps volunteered to send some troops toward the Wheatfield, which permitted Ward to move the 99th Pennsylvania from his right to his endangered left. When immediate help did not materialize, the commander of the 20th Indiana stretched his regiment to the right to cover the gap in the line. Losses sustained by the Federals battling the 3rd Arkansas were severe. The 20th Indiana lost 146 of 400 men in less than 30 minutes.22