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.

[396] and was eagerly following it, picking up stragglers, and preparing to charge, when, about noon, our 2d corps, Gen. Warren, which was still behind, appeared on the scene, and considerably deranged Hill's (or Lee's) calculations. Hill turned, of course, to fight the advancing rather than the retreating foe, having his batteries ready for action; while Warren, who was for the moment surprised at finding an enemy in his front rather than his rear, required ten minutes to prepare for a suitable reply. Soon, however, Brown's and Arnold's batteries opened on our side, with such effect, aided by the fire of Webb's and Hays's divisions of infantry, that the enemy fell back, abandoning six guns, whereof five--all that were serviceable — were at once seized and put to use on our side. An attempt to charge our right flank by Pettigrew's old brigade, now Heth's, was signally repulsed, with a loss of 450 prisoners. After this, the fighting was more cautious and desultory; the enemy recoiling to the woods, and thence keeping up a long-range cannonade, which amounted to nothing. Our loss in killed and wounded was about 200, including Col. James F. Mallon, 42d N. Y., killed, and Gen. Tile, of Pa., wounded; that of the enemy was probably 400, including Gens. Posey (mortally), Kirkland, and Cooke,¹ wounded, and Cols. Ruffin, 1st N. C., and Thompson, 5th N. C. cavalry, killed. Our soldiers held the field till dark, then followed the rest of our army, whose retreat they had so effectually covered.

Meade, on reflection, was evidently ashamed — as well he might be — of this flight — which, the Rebels assert, continued up to Fairfax Court House — and would have attempted to retrace his steps directly; but a heavy rain² had rendered Bull Run unfordable, and obliged him to send for pontoons; meantime, the enemy, after skirmishing along his front and making feints of attack, retreated as rapidly as they had advanced, completely destroying the Orange and Alexandria Railroad from Bristow to the Rappahannock — Stuart, aided by a flank attack from Fitz Hugh Lee, worsting Kilpatrick, by force of numbers, in a not very sanguinary encounter³ near Buckland's Mills, whence our cavalry fell back nimbly to Gainesville. In this affair, Custer's brigade did most of the fighting on our side; but the enemy was so vastly the stronger, backed by infantry, that Kilpatrick did well to escape with little loss. Stuart claims to have taken 200 prisoners.

Lee recrossed the Rappahannock next day; leaving Meade, by reason of his ruined railroad, unable, if willing, to follow him farther for some time.

During these operations, General J. D. Imboden, who, with a Rebel cavalry division, had been guarding the gaps of the Blue Ridge, swooped down⁴ upon Charlestown, near Harper's Ferry, which he took; capturing 424 men, with a large amount of stores. Two hours afterward, a superior Union force appeared from Harper's Ferry, before which Imboden deliberately fell back, fighting, to Berryville, saving nearly all his spoils; thence making good his escape by a night-march.

Besides Imboden's, Lee claims to have taken 2,000 prisoners during