Lee was evidently very anxious that there should be no battle on his right until Longstreet got up.  This is evident from the fact that notwithstanding the early hour at which I had ordered the assault, both for the purpose of being the attacking party and to strike before Longstreet got up, Lee was ahead in his assault on our right.  His purpose was evident, but he failed.

Hancock was ready to advance by the hour named, but learning in time that Longstreet was moving a part of his corps by the Catharpin Road, thus threatening his left flank, sent a division of infantry, commanded by General Barlow, with all his artillery, to cover the approaches by which Longstreet was expected.  This disposition was made in time to attack as ordered.  Hancock moved by the left of the Orange Plank Road, and Wadsworth by the right of it.  The fighting was desperate for about an hour, when the enemy began to break up in great confusion.

I believed then, and see no reason to change that opinion now, that if the country had been such that Hancock and his command could have seen the confusion and panic in the lines of the enemy, it would have been taken advantage of so effectually that Lee would not have made another stand outside of his Richmond defences.

Gibbon commanded Hancock’s left, and was ordered to attack, but was not able to accomplish much.

On the morning of the 6th Sheridan was sent to connect with Hancock’s left and attack the enemy’s cavalry who were trying to get on our left and rear.  He met them at the intersection of the Furnace and Brock roads and at Todd’s Tavern, and defeated them at both places.  Later he was attacked, and again the enemy was repulsed.

Hancock heard the firing between Sheridan and Stuart, and thinking the enemy coming by that road, still further reinforced his position guarding the entrance to the Brock Road.  Another incident happened during the day to further induce Hancock to weaken his attacking column.  Word reached him that troops were seen moving towards him from the direction of Todd’s Tavern, and Brooke’s brigade was detached to meet this new enemy; but the troops approaching proved to be several hundred convalescents coming from Chancellorsville, by the road Hancock had advanced upon, to join their respective commands.  At 6.50 o’clock A.M., Burnside, who had passed Wilderness Tavern at six o’clock, was ordered to send a division to the support of Hancock, but to continue with the remainder of his command in the execution of his previous order.  The difficulty of making a way through the dense forests prevented Burnside from getting up in time to be of any service on the forenoon of the sixth.