Major General John B. Hood’s final brigade, commanded by Brig. Gen. George “Tige” Anderson, advanced toward the Wheatfield in line of battle on Benning’s left. The movement attracted the attention of the 17th Maine, which in turn relieved the pressure on the 3rd Arkansas’ left flank. Joined with the 1st Texas, 15th Georgia, and the left of the 20th Georgia, the 3rd Arkansas renewed its attack against General Ward’s right and center. When it became obvious he could no longer hold his position, Ward ordered the 20th Indiana, 86th New York, and 124th New York to abandon Houck’s Ridge. More than 140 men were captured before they could slip away to safety.23
Moving at a right oblique, the 4th Maine approached Smith’s now-silent battery (the 1st Texas had driven away its gunners). The 99th Pennsylvania formed on its left and remnants of the 124th New York may have formed on its right. The three regiments attacked a portion of the 1st Texas, 15th Georgia, and 20th Georgia near Smith’s guns and swept them from the ridge. The men of the 99th yelled, “Pennsylvania and our homes!” as they attacked. One Pennsylvanian recalled that his regiment fired “one volley, and with a dash … were into the thick of the fight. Above the crack of the rifle, the scream of shell and the cries of the wounded could be heard the shout for ‘Pennsylvania and our homes.’” The Confederates took a few minutes to regroup before attacking again. The fighting quickly became hand-to-hand, and after a short time Southern numbers prevailed and the Federal troops finally abandoned the southern end of Houck’s Ridge.24
Federal reinforcements finally began to arrive. The 600-man 40th New York deployed in the 4th Maine’s former position in the Plum Run Valley. Captain Smith again begged for assistance in saving his guns, but Col. Thomas Egan had his own worries. The 48th Alabama was to his left and the 2nd and 17th Georgia regiments swamped Devil’s Den in front of him. Colonel Egan couldn’t withdraw, and standing pat was suicide. His alternative was to charge, and he took it. A sergeant in the 2nd Georgia recalled the moment when his regiment encountered the 40th New York. “Above us then, quite twenty feet, on the edge of the rock stood a line of blue coated United States regulars firing straight down at our line which had become broken in passing over and around the huge boulders which barred our way.” In this “Slaughter Pen,” men on both sides fell in large numbers. The last two guns of Smith’s battery that had been left in the rear opened a blistering fire on the advancing Confederates, shooting southwest into the valley. The two Georgia regiments fell back, taking position in the large rock formations of Devil’s Den. Smith’s other three guns on Houck’s Ridge had already fallen into Confederate hands, and soon the other two fell silent, masked by the advance of the 40th New York.
The charge by Egan’s men broke down as it approached strong Confederate defensive positions in the large rocks, although the New Yorkers tried several times to drive the enemy from Devil’s Den. The 6th New Jersey (Burling’s brigade) arrived and took position in the rear of the 40th New York. From that position it opened an oblique fire against the Alabamians near Devil’s Den. With its attack halted and now threatened on its right flank by the Confederate troops who had captured Houck’s Ridge, the 40th New York withdrew under the cover of fire from the 6th New Jersey.25
The 40th New York and the 6th New Jersey regiments retreated. The Devil’s Den–Houck’s Ridge sectors and three of Smith’s cannon were now in Confederate hands. Worse still for the Federals was the fact that there was no sign of reinforcements to recapture this part of the battlefield.
The Confederates appeared to have driven away all organized opposition.26