street’s corps,[1] they broke Couch’s line and forced the three divisions of Casey, Couch and Kearny back to their third line, capturing eight pieces of artillery and gathering from the field over 6,000 muskets.
General Casey, who sustained the first attack, says: "To be brief, the rifle-pits were retained until they were almost enveloped by the enemy, the troops with some exceptions fighting with spirit and gallantry. The troops then retreated to the second line, in possession of General Couch’s division. . . . On my arrival at the second line, I succeeded in rallying a small portion of my division, and with the assistance of General Kearny, who had just arrived at the head of one of his brigades, attempted to regain possession of my works, but it was found impracticable. The troops of General Couch’s division were driven back, although reinforced by the corps of General Heintzelman. The corps of Generals Keyes and Heintzelman having retired to the third line by direction of General Heintzelman, I there collected what remained of my division.[2]
The Federal reports and many subsequent historical writers speak persistently of the "overwhelming numbers" of the Confederates engaged in the defeat of their left. There is little difficulty in showing by the official reports that this is a mistake. On the Federal side the divisions of Casey, Couch and Kearny were engaged. General Heintzelman, the senior Federal officer on their left, says: "Couch’s, Casey’s and Kearny’s divisions on the field numbered but 18,500."[3] Each of these division commanders reports, without itemization, that he had engaged "about 5,000" men. This, of course, would make the total 15,000 men, as opposed to Heintzelman’s 18,500. Five thousand may be right for the strength of Kearny, but it seems that there must be some mistake in the
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