On the morning of the 9th the brigade took up the line of march in the direction of Culpeper Court-House. The march was frequently interrupted from causes unknown to me at the time, and at 3.15 p.m. the brigade was halted in the woods a short distance to the left of the road. At this time cannonading was going on in front. Here several Parrott guns from Captains Poague's and Carpenter's batteries were ordered to the front; these were posted in the road so as to enfilade the enemy's batteries then engaging our batteries on the right. General Winder was in front, directing with great ability and judgment the movements of the batteries. These batteries in a short time succeeded in driving the enemy's guns from their chosen position, after which Captains Poague and Carpenter were directed to take position in a corn field on the right of the road, when they opened a rapid fire upon the enemy's guns and soon silenced several of them. Shortly after this General Winder was mortally wounded and borne from the field, the brigade still resting where it was halted at 3.15 o'clock.

A little after 1 p.m. I was ordered to put the brigade in line of battle perpendicular to the road and move forward, the line having been arranged in the following order, viz: Twenty-seventh on the right, the Thirty-third on the left of the Twenty-seventh, Fifth left of the Thirty-third Second left of the Fifth, and the Fourth left of the Second. I moved forward through the woods, but in a few minutes I was ordered to put the brigade in column of regiments, which order was executed promptly; but before advancing the column I was ordered to deploy the column and advance in line of battle, letting the right rest about 100 yards from the road. The line of battle being thus re-established, I moved forward through the woods under a heavy fire of spherical case and canister shot from the enemy's guns. Arriving at a fence that partly inclosed an open field I halted the brigade and sent Captain John H. Fulton, acting aide, to inform General Taliaferro of my position and to receive his order. Captain Fulton returned, stating that the general directed me to move on. I put the brigade in motion and rode some 200 yards in advance in order to gain the top of the hill, from which I supposed I could have a good view. Arriving at the top of the hill I observed the enemy about 300 yards distant advancing in line of battle, when I immediately rode back to the brigade, which had advanced to within 400 yards of the enemy and in view of each other. This brigade then opened fire upon the enemy, and having discharged several volleys, which seemed to confuse him, I immediately ordered the brigade to charge, which order was promptly executed and with fine effect, the enemy falling back in great confusion, leaving many of his dead and wounded upon the field. Arriving at the woods in his retreat the enemy attempted to reform his line, which I determined to prevent by following him up; but at this moment I was informed that the enemy had turned the left of the Second Brigade (would I supposed, until that moment, rested on the right of the First Brigade), whereupon I immediately directed a change of front, which was done as promptly as it could be under the circumstances, which enabled me to engage this flank movement of the enemy; but General Branch's brigade coming up at this moment (his line being perpendicular to the road while the line of the First Brigade was parallel), General Branch opened a vigorous fire upon the enemy, which soon succeeded in driving him from his position. He was here compelled to pass through a large grain field in his retreat, which exposed his broken columns to a deadly cross-fire from Branch's and this brigade.

About sundown General Pender's (I think it was) brigade appeared