Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 7.
Frank Moore, Ed.

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[190] was wounded and taken prisoner. Lieutenant Campbell, of the Eighteenth, had his horse killed; the scout had the end of his nose grazed by a ball; Thomas Hogan, standard-bearer, kept up with the advance, and was killed; Isaac Anderson was killed. Thomas Adams, company B, Eighteenth; Sergeant J. B. Gordon, company A, Eighteenth; Lieutenant David McKay, and others, were wounded.

Captains Dahlgren and Lindsey turned to the left as they entered Potomac street, in pursuit of five men. The men took the first street to the right, and were closely followed. One took deliberate aim at Captain Lindsey and killed him. Captain Dahlgren immediately split the man's head open with his sabre, and so the fight was kept up for some time.

Soon after the first charge a second charge was made by a second squadron of the Eighteenth, under Captains Cunningham and Pennypacker. Of this party only one returned that day. Captain Elder then opened his battery on the outskirts of the town and began an effective fire. While the battery was not in use he went on a reconnoissance to a piece of woods at his right and captured twenty troopers, the advance of a party attempting to make a flank movement and capture his pieces. Captain Elder had his horse killed. Deployed in the gardens and fields in the outskirts of the town, were portions of the First Virginia and First Vermont cavalry. A squadron of the First Virginia, numbering fifty-six men, under Captain W. C. Carman, lost twenty-six men; one officer, Lieutenant Swintzel, was killed, and several others were wounded. To the right of the First Virginia was the First Vermont, deployed as skirmishers, and still further on the right was General Custer's brigade, the First, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Michigan regiments. Two companies — D, Lieutenant Cummings, and A, Lieutenant Edwards of the First Vermont, were deployed as skirmishers in the town. They advanced through a wheat-field, drove the enemy from a fence on their front, when they were recalled to form in the rearguard. They lost fourteen men. Companies L, E, and F, under Captain Schofield and Lieutenant Newton, were deployed to the right of the town, company I, Lieutenant Caldwell, acting as a reserve force. L and E made one charge in skirmish line, and carried a house from behind which the enemy had annoyed our line seriously. These four companies lost fifteen men. The remainder of the Vermont regiment was held in reserve. It appears that the head of one of the enemy's columns, composed of infantry, cavalry, and artillery, had just entered Hagerstown as General Kilpatrick reached there. When the attack commenced, the fact was speedily discovered that there was a large force present, and it would be useless therefore to attempt to strike the train at this point, and General Kilpatrick decided to move rapidly to Williamsport. This was a difficult movement to execute, but was successfully accomplished. Leaving the First Vermont and Fifth New-York with Elder's battery to protect the rear, the balance of the command was hurried forward. This rear-guard had one of the sharpest fights of the campaign. Taking a position on the Williamsport road, they awaited the approach of the enemy. They were not kept long in suspense, for in less than half an hour the enemy advanced two columns of infantry and one of cavalry, each column numbering more men than the whole force ordered to hold them in check. Of course, it was an easy matter to flank our troops with such a command; but the rebels paid dearly for the advantage gained. The enemy had advanced through the line as our skirmishers retired. Our rear-guard held their first position full half an hour after being attacked. The enemy advanced skirmishing, and made a dart for Elder's guns. They got so near that one gunner knocked a rebel down with his rammer. Elder gave them grape and canister, and the Fifth New-York sabres, while the First Vermont used their carbines. The repulse was complete, but owing to the superior force of the enemy, our men were compelled reluctantly to fall back. At the second position taken there was another desperate contest, against odds. Here one of the bravest spirits fell--Lieutenant Woodward, son of the Chaplain of the First Vermont. At one time companies B and H, First Vermont, Captain Beeman, were entirely cut off, and they were ordered to “surrender I” “I don't see it,” replied Captain Beeman. “Who are you talking to q” screamed the rebel officer. “To you,” was the response, when the Captain, leaping a fence, was followed by the squadron, and nearly all escaped. Falling back again, two of the Vermont, companies were preparing to charge an advancing force; they yelled so loud that a portion of the force engaged at Williamsport supposed them to be rebels, and fired a couple of shells into their ranks. This mistake caused the charge to be abandoned, and our men fell back upon the main body. The officers and men of this rear-guard behaved nobly, and many really shed tears because they could not carry out their orders to the letter. The First Vermont lost fifty men in this retreat. Lieutenant Stuart, of company G; Lieutenant Caldwell, of company I, and Sergeant Hill, of company C, were among the wounded. Stuart and Hill were left upon the field.

It was four o'clock P. M. when General Kilpatrick, with the main column, reached the crest of the hill overlooking Williamsport, on the Boonsboro pike. General Buford's command had been engaged with the enemy two or three miles to the left for two or more hours; Major Medill, of the Eighth Illinois, had already fallen mortally wounded. Two pieces of Pennington's battery were placed on the brow of the hill to the right of the pike, and the other pieces to the left. A squadron of Fifth Michiganders had previously charged down the pike, driving in the enemy's picket and a battalion which occupied an advanced position. The First Michigan, Colonel Towne, was deployed as skirmishers to the right, and ordered to drive the enemy from a brick house a