. ▁ ▁Second ▁day : ▁September ▁ 2 0 ▁ ▁The ▁battle ▁on ▁the ▁second ▁day ▁began ▁at ▁about ▁ 9 : 3 0   a . m . ▁on ▁the ▁left ▁fl ank ▁of ▁the ▁Union ▁line , ▁about ▁four ▁hours ▁after ▁B rag g ▁had ▁ordered ▁the ▁attack ▁to ▁start , ▁with ▁coordin ated ▁attacks ▁planned ▁by ▁Bre ck in ridge ▁and ▁Cle bur ne ▁of ▁D . H . ▁Hill ' s ▁Corps , ▁Pol k ' s ▁Right ▁Wing . ▁B rag g ' s ▁intention ▁was ▁that ▁this ▁would ▁be ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁success ive ▁attacks ▁progress ing ▁left ward , ▁en ▁e ch el on , ▁along ▁the ▁Confeder ate ▁line , ▁designed ▁to ▁drive ▁the ▁Union ▁army ▁south , ▁away ▁from ▁its ▁escape ▁routes ▁through ▁the ▁Ross ville ▁G ap ▁and ▁Mc F ar land ' s ▁G ap . ▁The ▁late ▁start ▁was ▁significant . ▁At ▁" day - dawn " ▁there ▁were ▁no ▁significant ▁def ensive ▁breast works ▁constructed ▁by ▁Thomas ' s ▁men ▁yet ; ▁these ▁form id able ▁obst acles ▁were ▁built ▁in ▁the ▁few ▁hours ▁after ▁dawn . ▁B rag g ▁wrote ▁after ▁the ▁war ▁that ▁if ▁it ▁were ▁not ▁for ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁these ▁hours , ▁" our ▁independence ▁might ▁have ▁been ▁won ." ▁ ▁Bre ck in ridge ' s ▁brig ades ▁under ▁Brig . ▁G ens . ▁Benjamin ▁Hel m , ▁Mar cell us ▁A . ▁Sto v all , ▁and ▁Daniel ▁W . ▁Adams ▁moved ▁forward ,