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

[409] with a heavy force, driving all the troops upon the right before them. At the same time we were entirely outflanked upon the left, and the enemy having gained the cover of a large corn-field and the woods, made a descent upon the left wing, which gave way and retreated in great disorder. Up to this time I had maintained my first position for three hours and forty minutes, during all of which time the artillery, under command of Lieut. Lamphere, had kept up a constant fire, except for a very short time, when the ammunition had become exhausted, and before they had received a supply. The Fifty-fifth Indiana, Col. Mahan; the Sixteenth Indiana, Col. Lucas; the Sixty-ninth Indiana, Lieut.-Col. Korff, and the Seventy-first Indiana, Lieut.-Col. Topping, occupied prominent and exposed positions from the commencement of the engagement, and contended against the enemy with a determination and bravery worthy of older soldiers. The three remaining regiments of Gen. Cruft's brigade arrived just at the time when our troops were on full retreat and the rout had become general, the Eighteenth Kentucky being in advance, under command of Col. Warner. This regiment was immediately deployed into line, and made a desperate effort to check the advancing enemy, and contended with him, single-handed and alone, for twenty minutes, when, after a severe loss, they were compelled to give way before overwhelming numbers. The Twelfth and Sixty-sixth Indiana regiments, not having arrived in time to take part in the first battle, retired in good order and were formed in line of battle on a high position near Rogersville, about a mile in the rear of the first battle-field. Taking these two regiments as a nucleus, I rallied the remainder of the division, but saw at once that it would not do to fight upon that ground. I deployed the cavalry of Cols. Metcalfe and Munday upon the high ground in front of the infantry, placed one piece of artillery in the road, directing the fire toward the enemy, who were forming line of battle near Rodgers's house. I then gave orders to the infantry to face by the rear rank, and move to the rear in line of battle. They moved in this manner about three quarters of a mile, halted and about-faced. I had now arrived on the ground which I had occupied in the skirmish with the enemy the evening before, and I here ordered Gen. Cruft to move off with his brigade to the right, and take position on elevated ground, putting two regiments in the woods on the extreme right, and two behind the fence, fronting a field of corn, and to throw skirmishers forward into the corn-field and woods. The first brigade I formed behind fences on the left of the road. The artillery was placed on the right and left, on the same ground occupied the previous afternoon. I now signalled the cavalry and artillery which had been left on the ridge in front, and which, until now, had held the enemy in check, and they retired rapidly and took their proper position in the new line. The enemy now began advancing in great force through the open fields, in line of battle, and while they were thus advancing, a courier rode upon the field and delivered to me your written order, dated at Lexington, August thirtieth, directing me to retire by the Lancaster road if the enemy should advance in force. It was then half-past 12 o'clock P. M., and in less than five minutes from the time I received your order the battle raged with great fierceness along my whole line. The enemy's right soon gave way under the fire from the artillery on our left, and his whole attention was then turned to our right, upon which a vigorous assault was made by infantry advancing through the woods and open fields. They were met in the most gallant manner by Gen. Cruft's brigade. The Twelfth Indiana and Eighteenth Kentucky regiments being placed in the woods, contended with fearful odds, but repulsed the rebels several different times. At this point the gallant Colonel Warner, of the Eighteenth Kentucky, was dangerously wounded. The Sixty-sixth Indiana and the Ninety-fifth Ohio regiments held their positions and drove the enemy back a short distance. The enemy soon rallied and again attacked our right wing, which, after a terrific engagement, lasting over one hour, was compelled to fall back, and retreated in confusion.

I was then forced to order the left wing to fall back, which they did in tolerably good order, the enemy crowding close upon them. On arriving at my camp I made another effort to rally and reform the troops, and had only partially succeeded when I heard that you was upon the field. I at once reported to you for orders. You informed me that we would make a stand near the town and cemetery. I directed the troops already formed in my camp to move to the place specified. On arriving upon the ground, under your direction, the men were formed in line of battle, about two thousand five hundred strong, and after contending with an unequal and overpowering force of the enemy for about thirty minutes, our whole line was broken and repulsed, and the men retired in the greatest confusion. I regret to say that, in this battle, Col. Link, of the Twelfth Indiana, was dangerously wounded, and Col. McMillan, of the Ninety-fifth Ohio, was shot in the hand.

After passing through Richmond, by your permission I organized a rear-guard of the scattered men of most all regiments that had been in the several battles, and took command myself, for the purpose of covering our rear on the retreat. The rear-guard behaved well, keeping back the enemy's advance until we had retreated two miles on the turnpike-road to Lexington, when the scattered troops in front came to a halt. I left the rear-guard in charge of Major Morris of the Sixty-sixth Indiana, and pressed forward myself to ascertain the cause of the halt. On arriving in front, I found a small squad of the rebel cavalry formed in the road. I attempted to form an advance-guard, but owing to the fact that the troops had been defeated in three engagements, they were so perfectly demoralized that I found