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

[438] during the week. The enemy was now firing from nine pieces; consequently, to make a vigorous reply, Hayne's U. S. battery of six pieces moved up to the left to the assistance of Robertson.

A heavy cannonading then ensued, but, as usual in artillery duels, little damage was effected on either side. At ten A. M. the enemy withdrew his pieces on the left and right of the Gap, and worked principally with those in the Gap. A half an hour later all of the enemy's guns were silent, but upon the moving of Cox's division soon after to the edge of the woods on the side of the mountain at the left, the rebels again produced their pieces at the right of the Gap. Cook's Massachusetts battery of six pieces was now brought up to the support of Robertson's, and a concentrating fire was poured into the Gap, many of the shells bursting directly over the rebel guns. At first the enemy threw solid shot, but after a while changed his projectile to shell.

Three times during the day the rebels were forced to change the position of their pieces, and late in the afternoon their guns were silent altogether.

By eleven o'clock Cox's division had arrived at the woods, and a few minutes later had entered for the purpose of getting round the enemy's right.

At this juncture Generals McClellan and Burnside, with their staffs, rode upon the field, where they remained during the continuance of the battle.

Cook's battery took a favorable position for shelling the woods in advance of the division, but had hardly got to work when the rebels fired a tremendous volley of musketry at the cannoneers. This was repeated several times in quick succession, until at length the cannoneers abandoned their pieces, and ran to the rear, leaving four or five of their comrades dead upon the ground. The drivers of the caissons also partook of the panic, and dashed headlong through the ranks of Cox's division, which was drawn up in line of battle a few yards to the rear. Two companies of a cavalry regiment, which were supporting the battery, also galloped through the line of infantry, thus leaving four pieces of artillery (the other two having been detached to another part of the field) to fall into the hands of the enemy. The event caused temporary, and only temporary confusion among the troops. They quickly straightened the line and prepared to resist a demonstration observable on the part of the enemy to seize the abandoned pieces. The rebels march forward to secure their anticipated prize, and at the same moment the Twenty-third Ohio and One Hundredth Pennsylvania regiments advanced in splendid order to repulse them. The rebels had approached to within about ten feet of the guns, when the contest commenced. Each side seemed desperate in its purpose, and the struggle was most exciting. At length the Forty-fifth New-York came to the rescue, and turned the tide of fortune in our favor. Both parties suffered severely in the action. The rebels retreated in great confusion, while our men made the woods resound with cheers.

For the succeeding two hours the infantry under the command of Reno ceased operations, and the artillery alone continued the duel. The guns used thus far were six, ten and twelve-pounders. Simmons's Ohio battery of four twenty-pounder pieces was now placed in position on the left, and commenced throwing shells to the right of the Gap, at which point the rebels had again stationed a battery. The firing for a while was exceedingly animated, but the twenty-pounders proved too much for the rebels, and they were compelled, in the course of half an hour, to change the position of their guns. At the expiration of the next half-hour their guns were silenced. In this battle the enemy did not appear to have so many guns as usual, for if they did have them, he did not bring them into practice. The thirty-two-pounder which he was so fond of using against us on the Peninsula, did not make its appearance here.

At two P. M. the head of General Hooker's column appeared coming up the turnpike to reenforce Reno. The column took the road branching off from the turnpike at the right, near Bolivar, and proceeded to the foot of the mountains. All along the line the utmost enthusiasm was manifested for Hooker. Every man in the corps was evidently impressed with the belief that he had a general able and willing to lead them forward to face the enemy.

At three P. M. the line of battle from right to left was formed in the following order, near the base of the mountains on the right, and at the edge of a piece of woods on the mountain slope at the left: The first brigade of Ricketts's division on the extreme right, which was about one mile north of the turnpike; the Pennsylvania reserve corps, the right resting on Ricketts's left; the Second regiment U. S. sharp shooters on the road branching off from the turnpike at the right; the second and third brigades of Ricketts's division between the branch road and the turnpike; King's division (commanded by Gen. Hatch) at the left of the turnpike, the right resting on the turnpike; Gen. Reno's force on the extreme left, about a mile and a half from the turnpike.

The Sixth United States, Eighth Illinois, Eighth, Third and Twelfth Pennsylvania, Sixth New-York, Third Indiana and First Massachusetts cavalry regiments were on different portions of the field performing picket-duty, acting as guards to the roads and supporting the batteries.

Up to this time all our batteries had been stationed to the left of the turnpike, as the positions secured there enabled the gunners to work their pieces to advantage.

About one hundred yards in the rear of the Pennsylvania reserve corps was stationed Capt. Cooper's First Pennsylvania battery of four pieces; Captain Ransom's, company C, Fifth United States battery, of four pieces, took a