Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 5.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[105] without partiality. I desire to say that both officers and men behaved with splendid gallantry, and that the service of the artillery was especially admirable.

We are encamped on the field of battle, which may be renewed at any moment.

In my despatch of yesterday I omitted to state that Col. Cluseret's brigade, consisting of the Sixtieth Ohio and Eighth Virginia, afterward supported by the Garibaldi Guard, formed our advance, and commenced the <*>attle of Cross Keys, by sharp skirmishing, at nine o'clock in the morning. During the day they obtained possession of the enemy's ground, which was disputed foot by foot, and only withdrew at evening when ordered to retire to a suitable position for the night.

The skill and gallantry displayed by Cluseret on this and frequent former occasions during the pursuit in which we have been engaged deserve high praise.

Respectfully,

I have the honor to report the part taken by the Ohio brigade, in the engagement at Cross Keys, on the eighth instant.

It was about one o'clock P. M. when I arrived near the point of the road leading to Port Republic, where the advance-guard had already come upon the enemy. A staff-officer, after indicating the position where my cavalry was to be left in reserve, informed me that I was to pass into the field and take position on the right, forming my line of battle and placing my batteries so as to support Brig.-Gen. Milroy, whose brigade, preceded mine in the march, was already getting into line. I was entirely without knowledge of the ground, but immediately proceeded to find the best position I could, according to these instructions, in the direction indicated. I turned my artillery (De Beck's and Rigby's batteries) into and across the fields, supported by infantry, throwing the body of my infantry into line of battle, and extending it in the rear of Milroy's brigade. As I advanced, however, upon the open ridge first pointed out as probably the best on which to establish my batteries, about one fourth of a mile from the main road by which our column arrived, I discovered that I was brought into the rear of a line of woods, through which Milroy was passing also to the right. These woods at the same time concealed the enemy and the character of the ground he was occupying, while they afforded no eligible position for placing my guns so as to reach him. I became satisfied, too, from the character of the ground beyond, as it now opened to us, that the enemy would seek to extend the line of his forces on his left, so as, if possible, to outflank us. I hastened, therefore, to press forward to the right to anticipate any such movement, and to occupy an extended ridge of higher grounds, half a mile further to the south, which I found gave me a more commanding range, and advanced me further to the point, while it enabled me also to cover an easy pass leading up from the enemy's position in front, between the two ridges, and all the open ground sloping away to the valley at the foot of the mountain, by one of which approaches the rebels were to be expected to advance on that side. This position placed my brigade on the extreme right wing, which I occupied for the rest of the day. To reach this point of advantage I had to cross a road in front of my first position, and passing through the skirt of the wood in which Gen. Milroy had advanced, went over some wheat-fields, along the edge of another wood. This I accomplished without loss, though exposed to a pretty severe fire of shell from the enemy, marching my line, composed of the Seventy-third, Fifty-fifth, and Eighty-second regiments of Ohio volunteer infantry, directed by the flank, detaching the Seventy-fifth and Thirty-second Ohio to cover the artillery moving by a more circuitous route. While effecting this, I was ordered by a message from the General commanding to detach Rigby's battery, and send it to the relief of Gen. Milroy. This was immediately done. Reaching the further position which I had selected, I found the line of woods extended still to the right, and shutting in our front. An examination of these woods by companies of the Seventy-third and Thirty-second, immediately thrown forward as skirmishers, discovered the enemy concealed there in force, and still endeavoring to extend himself to the left, with the evident object of turning our right, as I had expected. A few shells thrown into the woods on that side by De Beck's battery, checked this movement and drove back the rebel infantry further to our left. The whole of the Seventy-third, Eighty-second, and Fifty-fifth regiments, being then deployed in the woods on my left-front, formed in line of battle, and slowly advanced, feeling the enemy's position and gradually bringing the concealed line of the rebels to close quarters. The firing of small arms at once became brisk, especially with the Seventy-third, which seems to have been brought nearest the enemy's line, and at this time had several men killed and wounded by the fire. It was at this point of time, too, that Dr. Cantwell, surgeon of the Eighty-second, fell, severely wounded by a shot through the thigh, received while he was passing along the line of his regiment, carefully instructing the men detailed from each company to attend to conveying the wounded to the ambulances.

I believed that the moment for attacking and pressing the rebels successfully on this wing had now arrived, and I brought forward the Thirty-second to advance also in the woods and form on