late on july 2, when maj. gen. winfield s. hancock had been placed in charge of the army's endangered left flank, he sent back to his ii corps for reinforcements. a courier found hays and willard together. hays ordered willard to take his brigade to the left and "knock the hell" out of the confederates. hancock appeared and led willard's brigade to the left himself. forming a line of battle just north of weikert's woods, the brigade had three regiments in line with a fourth in reserve (that regiment participated in repulsing the confederate brigade of brig. gen. cadmus wilcox.).