Confederate reinforcements arrive from the north
When 8,000 Confederates come in behind us, Robert Rodes finds himself in a
remarkably good situation. He is on the flank of the Union position�like a big
�T,� about as good as you can get, tactically speaking, in the American Civil
War. This position is a general's heaven, and Rodes has to be salivating at the
prospect here. The very first thing he does is set up 14 cannons on top of this
hill, to start firing down the Union battle line. From that fire, about 500 Union
soldiers retreat from McPherson's Ridge across these open fields and into that
tree line�the Railroad Woods again. Rodes sees those men retreating into the
woods, and he is determined to go after them...
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