Marye's House marked the center of the Confederate position on the
Heights, before which the Federals fell three deep in one of the bravest
and bloodiest assaults of the war. The eastern boundary of the Marye
estate was a retaining wall, along which ran a sunken road; on the other
side of this was a stone wall, shoulder high, forming a perfect infantry
parapet. Here two brigades of Confederates were posted and on the crest
above them were the supporting batteries, while the slope between was
honeycombed with the rifle-pits of the sharpshooters, one of which is seen
in the picture. Six times did the Federals, raked by the deadly fire of
the Washington Artillery, advance to within a hundred yards of the sunken
road, only to be driven back by the rapid volleys of the Confederate
infantry concealed there. Less than three of every five men in Hancock's
division came back from their charge on these death-dealing heights. The
complete repulse of the day and the terrific slaughter were the barren
results of an heroic effort to obey orders.
[Illustration: THE FATEFUL CROSSING