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tremendous and skilful labors of placing its heavy guns on the crest.
During the entire morning of July 1st there was constant artillery fire.
As often as bodies of the Confederates appeared within close range, the canister sent among them from the batteries on the crest was sufficient to drive them back to cover.
General Magruder was sent by Lee against the Union lines in a supreme effort to break them, but his men never approached near enough to threaten the security of the Federal batteries.
Some of the guns that were in exposed positions were limbered up and withdrawn to more secure positions, and there again opened fire on Magruder's advance.
Part of the front line of the Confederates reached a position where the men could neither advance nor retire, but had to hug the inequalities of the ground to avoid the rain of canister.
Repeated efforts were made by the Confederates to pierce the Union line and get among the batteries that were creating such havoc, but the tenacity of the infantry line, bravely assisted by the guns massed behind it and sending destruction over it into the ranks of the foe, made it an impossible feat.
The Confederates were repulsed, and the Federal army at last obtained rest from that fearful campaign.
The artillery had saved it in the last great fight.
The Union Army of Virginia, under General John Pope, was organized on the day that the battle of Mechanicsville was fought, June 26, 1862.
When the Peninsula campaign was over, and it was decided to withdraw McClellan, the main Federal army in front of Washington became that of General Pope, whose artillery as at first organized consisted of thirty-three batteries.
Pope's first duty was to prevent the concentration of all the Confederate armies on McClellan as the latter was withdrawing.
Pope accordingly advanced on Culpeper Court House.
Just after his leading troops passed that point, and before they reached the Rapidan, on the line of the Orange
Review of Reviews. New York. 1912.
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