272 SEVENTH REGIMENT INFANTRY.

First Assault at Spotsylvania, or Battle of Laurel Hill.

Instead of that, came the startling command : "Battalions Forward ! Guide Center!"
The men responded with a hearty cheer and at the word "March !" stepped off with life,
with no music but that of their own voices. There were ringing yells of defiance
from the works as the enemy's picket line drew in. Most of the field and staff
hastily dismounted as the movement began, and left their horses behind. General
Robinson led his division; that is, he rode abreast of the front rank of the Maryland
brigade on its right, followed by Colonel Denison, also mounted.

The enemy opened with shell, followed by canister and then double canister, from
the cross-fire guns on their right. Kershaw's veterans, behind the works, lost no time in
proceeding to business. Their fire increased in intensity as the attack advanced. In
addition to the advantage of position, they were in better shape physically than their
assailants. It is true they also had made a ha,rd night march, but it was a peaceable
one, and the delay interposed by Fitz Lee, as already stated, had enabled them not only
to get in ahead, but had given them margin enough for what breakfast they had and a
good rest, while the jaded Federals were expending what little energy they had left in
more marching and fighting. They had even found their breast works ready made for
them. The shooting, however, of the defendants was not as good as might have been
expected under the circumstances. The best shots had been carefully picked out for the
battalions of sharpshooters attached to Kershaw' s division. The sharpshooters had done
extra work all night in flanking the exposed left of Anderson's column, and were late in
reaching the battle-ground. Still, it must be admitted that the shooting, although not
ideal, was good enough practically, and the other side have no right to complain. Had
those sharpshooters been present, it is probable that this particular narrative would
not have appeared. (Kershaw's Chief of Staff, Col. E. L. Costin.)

There was, of course, no skirmish line in advance of the assaulting columns, as has
been erroneously stated. (Humphrey's Va. Campaign, 60, an incorrect account from a
very high authority.) The men had not been required to remove caps from the nipples
of their pieces, no caution against firing had been given.

Naturally enough, the front rank was goaded into a return fire; individual progress
was as naturally retarded by the act of aiming and reloading; men from the rear pressed
impatiently forward to repeat the process. In this way, ranks and regiments soon be-
came intermingled, straggling was made easy, the time of exposure was fatally prolong-
ed. The Seventh, which was in the rear when the movement commenced, soon found
itself working up to the front, but in a rather mixed condition. The rattle and crash
were such that no commands could be heard, and this mischievous return fire, which
was helping that of the enemy to destroy the impetus and solidity of the charge, could
not be stopped.

Fall of Commanders.

At the distance of about fifty yards from the works General Robinson was shot
from his horse and borne from the field, with the loss of a leg. Many years after,
in 1895, he received a "medal of honor" from the War Department for conspicuous
gallantry on this occasion.

Colonel Denison, commanding the Maryland brigade, was about the same time
shot from his horse, and assisted to the rear with the loss of his right arm. He was