Today in History:

350 Series I Volume XII-I Serial 15 - Second Manassas Part I

Page 350 OPERATIONS IN N.VA., W.VA., AND MD. Chapter XXIV.

at about 8 a.m. upon our forces again, and that since that time we were engaged in responding to his battery of four guns, which he then had in play, and endeavoring to repel his small but harassing attacks of cavalry upon our chain of sentinels.

Reconnoitering the ground surrounding me, I found that between the hill upon which I stood with Colonel Kimball and the hill opposite us, upon which the enemy's battery was posted, about half a mile distant, a ravine was lying, running from east to west, which is entirely free of wood. When about half a mile to the east a forest connected both hills, through the center of which passes a mud road, and which is bounded on its extreme right by another mud road leading to Cedar Creek. The country to the left (west) of the turnpike is flat, and comparatively little wooded. We placed in position a six-gun battery, commanded by Captain Jenks, First Virginia Artillery, to oppose the enemy's four guns, which latter was soon re-enforced by a whole battery; whereupon Captain Clark's regular battery was put in prolongation of the former named. Both batteries were fought by Colonel Daum, chief of artillery, in person. Our fire from the two batteries became too hot for the enemy, and they brought a third battery in the direction of their right wing in such position upon our two batteries as to enfilade them, but continued their fire.

In the mean time the infantry regiments were moving up to the support of our batteries, and formed into line of battle about 1,000 yards to the rear of our batteries, when at once the enemy's heavier battery moved to the front, and threw in rapid succession a number of well-aimed shells into our batteries and the cavalry and infantry stationed upon the interior slope of the battery hill, and the necessity to storm and take their guns became evident. In conjunction with Colonels Kimball and Tyler the following infantry regiments were drawn up in mass parallel with each other; the right, resting upon the mud road passing through the forest, was held by the Seventh Ohio, the Sixty-seventh and Fifth following, and the Thirteenth Indiana, Eighty-fourth Pennsylvania, and Twenty-ninth Ohio a little to the rear, thus leaving the One hundred and tenth Pennsylvania, Fourteenth Indiana, and three companies of the Eighth Ohio in reserve.

During the time these arrangements were made a messenger was sent to you, general, to have your approval as to this flank movement, and I personally apprised all the commanders in the rear and flanks of our intentions, so as to keep them on the alert. Colonel Daum was enjoined to keep his artillery in lively fire, so as not to divert the attention of the enemy from him, and when the order came to move on everything was ready to respond. General Tyler moved his column by the right flank as far as the Cedar Creek road, rested his right upon the same, and the left upon the before-mentioned mud road, pushing forward upon both roads some cavalry; changed direction to the left right in front, and moved silently but steadily upon the enemy's left, through the woods for about half a mile, when, coming upon a more sparsely wooded ground, he made a half-wheel to the left and came to face of the extreme flank of the enemy, who received him, posted behind a stone wall at about 200 yards' distance with a terrific volley from rifled arms; but still on went the regiments without a return fire, and then threw themselves, with immense cheering and an unearthly yell, upon the enemy, who, receiving at 15 yards our first fire, fell back across the field, thus unmasking two 6-pounder iron guns, which hurled, on being clear in front, death and destruction into our ranks with their canister. But still onward we went, taking one gun and two caissons, and making


Page 350 OPERATIONS IN N.VA., W.VA., AND MD. Chapter XXIV.