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crushed him badly.
Let me see, I told you this before; never mind, you will be sure now to know it. Sometimes I get rather mixed because I write often a few words about a day, on the eve of the same, and then detail it more at length afterwards.
The Rebels got well alarmed about Hancock and sent reinforcements, recalling troops that had started to help Early in the valley; an important point gained.
Hancock had some hard fighting to-day, with considerable success, taking several hundred prisoners and driving the enemy.
The Rebel General Chambliss was killed, and we found on him a valuable map containing the fortifications of Richmond.
They also are said to have killed a General Gherrard; but I have an idea there is no such General in their service.1 Perhaps he was a new appointment, or a colonel commanding a brigade.
As to giving you an account of the engagement, it would be out of the question; as it is a perfect muddle to me. I only know that Gregg, with a cavalry division, went out on the Richmond road, to within six and one half miles of the city, and encountered a big crowd of infantry and had to come back.
Barlow had to leave his division, sick, and go to friend Dalton, at City Point.
August 18, 1864
Last night I had got well into the first sound sleep, when images of war began to intrude on my dreams, and these, taking on a more corporeal form, gradually waked me enough to prove to my mind that there was a big racket going on. The noise of a few shells and many muskets I don't mind, as I am used to it, but, when it comes to firing heavy mortar shells in salvos, one is authorized to sit up in bed, even if it is one in the morning. Once awake, I recognized the fact that the largest kind of a cannonade was 