the troops moved out on the night of june 8, but made poor progress. the column of gillmore's infantry got lost in the dark. although hinks arrived on time, he was ordered to wait for gillmore so that all of the infantry could cross before the cavalry. eventually the infantry crossed by 3:40 a.m. on june 9 and were ordered to move forward against the enemy's picket line at daylight. by 7 a.m., both gillmore and hinks had encountered the enemy, but stopped at their fronts. gillmore, an engineering officer with no experience leading troops in combat, hesitated at the sight of the formidable earthworks. hinks also felt that the confederate defenses were too strong and that he could not move forward unless gillmore attacked with him. gillmore told hinks that he would attack but that both of the infantry columns should await the cavalry assault from the south.