into the Union assembly area. The Union force took some casualties, including Brigadier General Lewis Grant who suffered a severe head wound and had to relinquish command to Lieutenant Colonel Amasa S. Tracy. Two regimental commanders in Colonel Thomas W. Hyde's brigade were mortally wounded. Despite the Confederate shooting, the Union troops were not allowed to return fire in order not to give away the planned attack. Getty's men had to lie on their arms on the cold ground for nearly four hours before the attack. Seymour's division was hard hit by shooting from Confederate pickets who had been provoked by firing from nearby Union outposts. Getty's attack Because vision was limited at 4:00 a.m., the Union attack began at 4:40 a.m. with the firing of a signal gun from Fort Fisher. The 1st Vermont Brigade, with Colonel Amasa Tracy commanding in lieu of the wounded Lewis Grant, led the assault. Pioneers were in front to dismantle abatis and other obstructions. Artillerymen were also placed with the attackers to turn captured Confederate guns against them. An artillery battery of four guns was assigned to each division with two others in reserve while three others were left in the Union forts. Sharpshooters also were deployed with the attackers. The heavy bombardment already launched along the IX Corps' front masked the sound of the signal gun from Fort Fisher for some of the officers. A staff officer had to hail Colonel Tracy of the Vermont Brigade to begin the attack. The attack started in such dim light that the men still could not see much beyond the extent of their own company. The Confederate line in front of the attackers was defended by Brigadier General James H. Lane's North Carolina brigade, with sharpshooters from Brigadier General Samuel McGowan's South Carolina brigade manning the picket line. On Lane's left was Brigadier General Edward L. Thomas's Georgia brigade and part of Brigadier General William MacRae's North Carolina brigade was on his right. Colonel Andrew M. Nelson's Mississippi brigade, Brigadier General Samuel McGowan's South Carolina brigade, Brigadier General William McComb's Maryland and Tennessee brigade and other regiments of MacRae's brigade held other segments of the of earthworks between Indian Town Creek and Burgess Mill. The Confederate picket line was overwhelmed quickly by the Union attackers. Despite the heavy fire from the main Confederate defenses and batteries, much of the initial artillery fire from the defenders