Just when Final Victory was close

After surveying the enemy position, General Douglas decided to try a left hook while threatening the enemy's left flank with his cavalry.

The attack on the left started out well. 

The centre however suffered horendous casualties as they advanced.

The flanking fire from the Guards Brigade  helped weaken the enemy and the second assault took the sunken road but at a heavy cost. On the far side of the hill the cavalry had driven back the enemy cavalry and artillery but it was itself spent in the task. 

A few fanatic Rebels held the small farm and their deadly fire broke up the final assault before it could be launched. The rearguard was exhausted but they had done their job, prsuit would have to wait for tomorrow and the main enemy army would be safely across the Neverwaussie River before dawn.

Alas, there was to be no pursuit at all. As the sunk set a courier galloped up to General Douglas with a telegram. The Kree had again invested Fort Henry. General Douglas was ordered to immediately break contact with the Rebels and fall back to the railhead. There he was to entrench and await reinforcements.

He was also  to immediately dispatch the Colonel Ross with the Regulars and Victoria Rifles post haste to Belmont by rail and thence to Port Arthur by steamer to report to General Robert, commander of the Fort Henry Relief Force. 

A scene from the last relief expedition.