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his determination of the previous night, and now only contemplated an armed reconnoissance with a single division.
It is also alleged that Generals Reynolds and Smith, in concurrence with their superior, placed the same construction upon the orders of the morning of the 13th.
This morning the plain and the heights were enveloped in a thick fog. The battle commenced at ten o'clock, when the fog was lifted so as to disclose to each other the position of the opposing forces.
The engagement was opened by the batteries of the Sixth Corps, their fire being directed against Hood's division, which was immediately to the left of A. P. Hill's division.
At the same moment, the Pennsylvania Reserves, with Gibbon's division in reserve upon its right and Doubleday in reserve, advanced upon the left, encountering a fire from the Confederate horse artillery in the copse, which was silenced by Meade's batteries, and the division continued forward, shelling the woods in the front.
Now a vigorous fire was opened by the batteries of Early's and Hill's divisions, met by the simultaneous discharge of all the Federal batteries of the left grand division; not one was unemployed.
Amidst a fire of shell and canister Meade continued his advance, the artillery of the Sixth Corps still actively engaging the attention of the force in their front, drawing their fire and preventing the detaching of any troops from that section to the aid of Early.
Now Meade's division drives three Confederate batteries across the railroad track, and, attacking the division next in front, turns back both wings of that force and captures two hundred prisoners.
Gen. Meade was in truth making a reconnoissance in force, but the movement was a phase of the battle that was now being participated in by the entire left of the army.
Now the batteries of Brooks's division fire incessantly, their shots directed by the jets of smoke issuing from the guns of their antagonists.
As volley succeeded volley, and shot and shell plunged and thundered from the ridge over the plain and from the plain to the ridge, it seemed as though each battery was exposed to an enfilading fire.
Comrade Richardson is wounded; we are short of ammunition; two of our caissons are sent to the rear, for a further supply.
‘Sergeant,’ said Gen. Brooks, ‘put those caissons over the ground, if you ever did!’
Twice the infantry of the Sixth, ably handled, dashed against the lines of A. P. Hill, but the position of the
Boston. Press of Deland and Barta, 1886.
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