from wadsworth, greene would be on his own. he also sent word to the commanding officer of the 11th corps, begging for help to shore up his line. howard could scrape together about 400 men from four different regiments but it would take time for them to get to greene's line. for the time being, it was greene's men against the confederate attack. the first confederates to reach his position were under the command of colonel jesse williams from the state of louisiana. they were the first to hit the line in the first to be repulsed by the stout defensive position. in a letter to the syracuse standard six days after the battle of gettysburg, one soldier reported the moment of the first contact between union and confederate infantry on the slope. he wrote the rebels advanced in a perfect storm of lead and we mowed them down like grass, but still the rascals stood their ground and returned fire with interest. our men, however, were protected and suffered comparatively letter. a captain from the 60th new york toward the left flank of