 Believing himself bound by Lee 's order to charge , but with his own brigades not yet in attacking position , Magruder mustered some five thousand men from Huger 's brigades , including those of Ambrose Wright and Maj. Gen. William Mahone and half of the men from Armistead 's brigade who were caught in the open battlefield . Magruder had also sent for Brig. Gen. Robert Ransom , Jr . , also under Huger 's command , who noted that he had been given strict instructions to ignore any orders not originating from Huger , and apologetically said he could not help Magruder . Magruder additionally ordered men under his personal command — three regiments of Brig. Gen. Howell Cobb 's brigade , plus Col. William Barksdale 's full brigade — to the attack . Because of the confusion regarding Quaker Road , however , these brigades were not yet near enough to do more than move into supporting position , and Magruder wanted to attack immediately . Despite this , under Magruder 's order at about 5 : 30 pm , Wright 's brigade with Armistead 's , then Mahone 's brigade , started darting out of the woods and towards the Union line . The artillery of the Confederate left flank , under Jackson 's personal command , also renewed their barrage with the late arrival of two batteries of Richard Ewell 's division . The Confederates were initially engaged solely by Union sharpshooters , but the latter quickly fell back to give their own artillery a clear field of fire . Antipersonnel canister shot was employed with deadly effect . Wright 's men were pinned down in a small depression on the rolling hillside , to the right of Armistead 's ; Mahone 's were driven back into retreat in about the same area . At some point during the first wave of assaults , Cobb moved into close supporting position behind Armistead . Barksdale 's men were also supporting , to the left of Armistead . 
