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any service to him. I had no doubt, however, that I could impede or paralyze the immense mass of men that was pressing steadily to his overthrow.
We were standing on the flank of the advancing columns.
They swept on at right angles to our line of vision.
They were within easy artillery range, and I felt certain that a heavy enfilading fire poured unexpectedly into their charging columns would disconcert and check it. Instead of moving to reinforce Jackson therefore, I sent dispatches for batteries to hurry to where I was. In an exceedingly short time Captain Wiley's six-gun batteries came dashing up at full gallop, the horses covered with foam, and the men urging them forward.
They were wheeled into position and directed against the moving flank of the enemy.
The range was fair, and as the six guns flashed, the heavy shot went ploughing through the solid flank of the Federals, doing terrible damage.
The result was as anticipated.
The line faltered for an instant, started again, hesitated, re-formed, and pressed forward, and then, as a rear broadside was poured into them, broke ranks and retired slowly, sullenly, and doggedly.
General Jackson did not pursue, and the Federals halted after moving back a short distance, and arranged to re-form their ranks and renew the charge.
As soon as they started, however, they were obliged to face against General Jackson.
This exposed them, of course, to our enfilading fire.
We now had several batteries in position, and as soon as the lines had taken shape and started on their second assault, we poured a perfect hail of balls into their flanks and scattered them again.
Although discomfited, they were not broken, but retired with their slow, angry, sullen step.
When they had gone beyond the fair range of our batteries they halted, and tried to form again for the third assault.
I now determined to end the matter, feeling that I had an easy victory in my grasp.
I, therefore, ordered every battery to be in readiness, and drew my men up for a charge, designing to throw them into the broken ranks of the enemy as soon as my artillery had dispersed them.
The Federals moved forward once more.
When they were fairly in range every gun was opened upon them, and before they had recovered from the stunning effect, I sprung every man that I had to the charge, and swept down upon them like an avalanche.
The effect was simply magical.
The enemy broke all to pieces.
I pushed my men forward in a pell-mell pursuit, hoping to reach the main Federal lines at the same time with their retreating forces.
We succeeded in this and drove the enemy back, pursuing them until fully ten o'clock at night.
In the meanwhile, I received a note from General Lee.
He had heard my guns, and at once supposed I had thought it best to relieve Jackson in a different manner
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