[332] the cover of the woods. Our infantry was then advanced, and about five o'clock began one of the most rapid and severe engagements of the war. We suffered severely for a short time, until we got our men up, when we gave it to them hot and heavy, and drove them back with great loss. Our firing did not cease until about one o'clock at night. They left their dead and wounded on the field, with about four hundred prisoners, which we marched to the rear. They outnumbered us very considerably. It is thought that the engagement will begin again early, if we can find them. Our wagons have all been ordered forward with a good supply of commissary stores. The exact locality of the fight on Saturday is said to have been on the plantation of Rev. D. F. Slaughter, near Mitchell's station. The Lynchburgh Republican says that the number of troops engaged on either side is stated to have been very unequal, and the fight is represented to have been terrible in the extreme. A part of Ewell's division led in the attack, which was subsequently reinforced by a portion of A. P. Hill's division, the whole numbering about fifteen thousand, against about twenty-five thousand of the enemy. Our losses are not definitely ascertained, but are supposed to reach about six hundred wounded and one hundred killed. The enemy's is estimated to be much heavier in killed and wounded, besides four hundred prisoners, including a large proportion of officers. The enemy retreated after several hours of desperate resistance, leaving the ground covered with arms and ordnance stores. We secured about one thousand stand of muskets and rifles, besides a large number of pistols, swords, etc. We had some seventy-five or a hundred missing, but it is supposed the number will be largely reduced, as they were constantly rejoining their commands. We took no artillery, the enemy having succeeded in getting them off. There have been occasional skirmishes since the fight on Saturday, but they resulted in nothing of a serious character. The enemy fell back to the neighborhood of Culpeper Court-House, carrying off the most of their dead and wounded, though a number of the latter were left on the field, and fell into our hands. They were paroled and sent to the enemy's lines under a flag of truce.
Lynchburgh Republican account.
Lynchburgh, Va., August 15.
From an officer of the Stonewall brigade, one who has followed its fortunes in all its desperate and bloody encounters with the enemy, we learn that the fight at Cedar Run, on Saturday last, was the most desperate and determined of any that he has yet witnessed.
The enemy's cavalry first advanced upon our column in heavy force, and were suffered to approach within a few yards of our men, when the whole line poured in a deadly fire, which caused them to recoil and finally retreat in great disorder.
Then a strong column of infantry approached, with the evident design of flanking our gallant little band, and arriving within a short distance, prepared to charge.
But our brave men met them with such a storm of iron hail that they too broke and ran, our men pursuing them, and, as our informant states, literally butchering them at every step of their retreat.
At this point in the engagement the reenforcements came up, and our men, in their turn, being in imminent danger of being flanked, were compelled to fall back, disputing every inch of the ground, but losing a number of prisoners.
Our reenforcements came upon the field at this time, and our informant says the most desperate hand-to-hand encounter probably ever witnessed on the battle-field took place.
Our troops, with desperate valor, charged upon the enemy, who met them bravely, and, bayonets locked and sabres crossed, each fought as if the fortunes of the field depended alone on him. And when the bayonet failed to do its work, or was broken or lost, with clubbed guns the contest was continued, until the enemy gave way and scattered in all directions.
Here the loss was terrible, and here fell some of the best and bravest officers of the whole Southern army; but over the dead bodies of their comrades our gallant men pressed on, until the foe was driven from the field, and the dear-bought victory won.
As they pursued the flying foe, our men came up with and released their comrades who had been captured in the early part of the fight, besides capturing a number of the enemy.
The list of casualties, though not yet complete, has, it is now stated, been under-estimated.
Our loss in killed is thought to be one hundred, and seven or eight hundred wounded. Every field-officer of the Second brigade was either killed or wounded, an evidence of the desperate valor with which they fought.
The field was literally strewed with the dead and wounded Yankees, and their loss, it is supposed, cannot be less than three times our own.