The seizure of Hazel Grove, from which Sickles had retired, had now begun to tell against us.  It had enabled the Confederates not only to form the necessary junction of their hitherto separated wings, but to enfilade our lines in both directions.  The artillery under Walker, Carter, Pegram, and Jones, was admirably served, and much better posted than our own guns at Fairview.  For this height absolutely commanded the angle made by the lines of Geary and Williams, and every shot went crashing through heavy masses of troops.  Our severest losses during this day from artillery-fire emanated from this source, not to speak of the grievous effect upon the morale of our men from the enfilading missiles.

About eight A.M., French, one of whose brigades, (Hays’s,) had been detached in support of Berry, and who was in the rifle-pits on the Ely’s Ford road near White House, facing east, perceiving how hotly the conflict was raging in his rear, on the right of the Third Corps line, and having no enemy in his own front, assumed the responsibility of placing four regiments of Carroll’s brigade in line on the clearing, facing substantially west, and formed his Third Brigade on their right, supporting the left batteries of the Fifth Corps.  This was a complete about-face.

Soon after taking up this position, Hooker ordered him forward into the woods, to hold Colquitt and Thomas in check, who were advancing beyond the right of Sickles’s position at Fairview, and compromising the withdrawal to the new lines which was already determined upon.  Says French:  “In a moment the order was given.  The men divested themselves of all but their fighting equipment, and the battalions marched in line across the plain with a steady pace, receiving at the verge of the woods the enemy’s fire.  It was returned with great effect, followed up by an impetuous charge. . . .  The enemy, at first panic-stricken by the sudden attack on his flank, broke to the right in masses, leaving in our hands several hundred prisoners, and abandoning a regiment of one of our corps in the same situation.”

But French had not driven back his antagonist to any considerable distance before himself was outflanked on his right by a diversion of Pender’s.  To meet this new phase of the combat, he despatched an aide to Couch for re-enforcements; and soon Tyler’s brigade appeared, and went in on his right.  This fight of French and Tyler effectually repelled the danger menacing the White House clearing.  It was, however, a small affair compared to the heavy fighting in front of Fairview.  And, the yielding of Chancellorsville to the enemy about eleven A.M. having rendered untenable the position of these brigades, they were gradually withdrawn somewhat before noon.

Still Jackson’s lines, the three now one confused mass, but with unwavering purpose, returned again and again to the assault.  Our regiments had become entirely depleted of ammunition; and, though Birney was ordered to throw in his last man to Williams’s support, it was too late to prevent the latter from once more yielding ground.