End

The 21st Massachusetts continued to engage elements of Thomas' Brigade during the bitter contest in the northeast section of the cornfield. This isolated action soon became a series of bayonet charges after both sides gave up on trying to fire their weapons. In the end, neither Thomas' Brigade or the 21st Massachusetts gained an advantage. It wasn't until they both mutually began to withdraw from the cornfield that Birney learned of his commanders death.

The dead and wounded from the last 2 hours littered the field of mud among the trampled cornstalks. Moans and cries for help were drowned by the continued din from the storm raging around them. Often, the only relief from mind numbing pain was to chew on soft lead bullets. There were no medics... no morphine... just eternally long moments waiting for the battle to end.

More than one life slipped away as the wounded lay in the cold mud unable to staunch the flow of blood. On average, 17 men a minute became a casualty during the two hour battle, with some units suffering more casualties than at Second Manassas.

The 1st and 3rd Brigades of the 1st Division III Corps were now positioned by the Reid house. The remnants of the 1st and 2nd Division IX Corps were reorganizing to the east near West Ox Road. Other Union units were also ready to march east from Germantown and south from Warrenton Turnpike. At approximately the same time, General Longstreet finally arrived at Ox Hill with the lead units of his corps.

Anderson's Brigade and Toomb's Brigade from Longstreet's Corps now joined Jackson's two reserve units (Lawton's and Archer's Brigades). However, human endurance had finally given out... and in the early darkness, and still heavy rain, both sides began to disengage.

Although neither side had initially realized the other had withdrawn, both had done so simultaneously. Furthermore, both sides had also deployed a line of resistance more or less at the original positions during the outset of the battle.

It is clear... that the battle was fought to a draw. Although technically, since the Union troops left the battlefield around 2:30 am on the 2nd, the Confederates could be considered the victors since they maintained possession of the battlefield.