Horace Greeley, The American Conflict: A History of the Great Rebellion in the United States of America, 1860-65: its Causes, Incidents, and Results: Intended to exhibit especially its moral and political phases with the drift and progress of American opinion respecting human slavery from 1776 to the close of the War for the Union. Volume II.

[219] left, in order to obtain a more advantageous position, and enable his men to procure from the creek the water for which they were suffering. So much being accomplished, and no enemy in sight save some cavalry on the bluffs across the creek, he proceeded, at 1 1/2 P. M., to the left of his line; in no apprehension of an attack until he should see fit to make one.

Battle of Perrlyvillie.

He was grievously mistaken. Hardly had he been half an hour away from his front, when his left, composed mainly of green soldiers, under a brave but inexperienced commander, and not fully formed in order of battle, was suddenly and vehemently assailed in front and flank by rapidly charging masses of infantry and artillery, hitherto concealed in woods and hollows, but which seemed as if magically evoked from the earth.

Cheatham's division, which had been silently moved from the Rebel left to their right, led this assault, responding with terrific yells and more hurried step to the fire of our batteries, until within short musketrange, when, at their very first volley, Maj.-Gen. James S. Jackson¹ fell dead. His fall disorganized the raw and over-matched brigade of Gen. Terrill, which he was desperately exerting himself to steady, and it gave way in utter panic; Gen. Terrill himself following his chief's example and sharing his fate not long afterward; as did, at a later hour, Col. George Webster, 98th Ohio, commanding a brigade.

Terrill's brigade being thus instantaneously routed, with the loss of Parsons's battery, the whole force of the Rebel charge fell upon Rousseau, who was ready to receive it. An attempt to flank and crush his left was promptly met by new dispositions: Starkweather's brigade, with Stone's and Bush's batteries, being faced to that flank, and receiving the enemy with volley after volley, which tore his ranks and arrested his momentum for two or three hours, until our ammunition was exhausted, and Bush's battery had lost 35 horses; when our guns were drawn back a short distance, and our infantry retired to replenish their cartridge-boxes; then resuming their position in line.

Rousseau's center and right were held respectively by the brigades of