to attack the enemy, not believing him to be in any great force, and found him stronger than he had supposed, outnumbering greatly his own corps, and had been driven back after a gallant, severe, and bloody contest.

It was now dark, and under the assurance of General Banks that the remainder of his corps were in the front of a narrow strip of woods which extended across the road; that a brigade was still on a hill to the right of this wood, and that his brigade and the right of his line, which was said to be intact, would be drawn toward and strengthen the center, which had suffered most, I was ordered to place Rickett's division to the right and front. This was done by posting Tower's brigade with two batteries (Lapin's and Thompson's) on the knoll to the right of the wood, Caroll's brigade connecting the left of Tower's line with the woods; Hartsuff's and Duryea's brigades in second line, with Hall's and Thompson's batteries in reserve. But while making these dispositions and moving forward in column to do so, the enemy following up the retreat of General Banks, established a battery beyond the woods before mentioned and opened on the head of my column, and soon after coming through the woods with infantry, cavalry, and artillery, established another battery on the knoll where you had just before made your headquarters after your conference with General Banks and others. This battery fired on the second line of Rickett's division, and until the battalion in mass were placed under the shelter of the rolling ground took effect on Hartsuff's brigade. Quickly the batteries in reserve, under the direction of that most valuable officer Major Tillson, chief of artillery, Hall's First Maine, and Thompson's Second Maryland, opened on the enemy. It was dark, and only by the flash of the enemy's piece could they see where to direct their aim, but soon, by a rapid and well-directed fire they silenced the enemy's batteries and forced them to withdraw, leaving some of their officers and most of their horses dead on the ground. The fire of the enemy's infantry from the woods was mostly at Corroll's brigade, which suffered from it before his men could be got into position in the front line.

The hot reception given the enemy by Ricketts' division caused the enemy to fall back during the night to their former position on and near Cedar Run Mountain, some 3 miles. Finding Rickett's division too far to the front and right, it was drawn over during the night by your direction to the right of the position you had directed General Sigel to occupy.

On the morning of the 10th (Sunday) nothing was done by either army beyond a few dropping shots, and we remained in position under arms awaiting a renewal of the attack, which was not made, there being only one false alarm of a movement on our right flank. The First Pennsylvania Cavalry, under Colonel Owen Jones; the First New Jersey Cavalry, under Lieutenant-Colonel Karge (Colonel Wyndham being a prisoner of war on parole); the First Rhode Island Cavalry, under Colonel Duffie, and the First Maine, under Colonel Allen, all under Brigadier-General Bayard, had been engaged in the battle before we came up, and I am assured by your chief of cavalry, Brigadier-General Roberts, who was present, they performed good service, not only before but during the action. General Bayard, who had himself rendered most valuable service, speaks warmly of a charge made about 5 o'clock p.m. by that gallant old soldier Major Falls, First Pennsylvania Cavalry, who led his battalion against the enemy's lines and charged completely through them. All the regiments above named, and especially