The first man into the Confederate trenches was Captain Charles Gould of the 5th Vermont Infantry. As he jumped into the trench leading his men, he was bayoneted through the cheek and mouth by a North Carolinian. Gould killed the man who had bayoneted him with a saber as he fired his service revolver at other oncoming Confederates. One of the defenders then struck him down with a rifle butt, while and another bayoneted Gould in the back. Gould, who would be awarded the Medal of Honor in the future, fought back ferociously and was finally saved by his color sergeant, who clubbed the attackers with his own rifle, then grabbed the captain and pulled him up out of the trench, sending him back to the rear.