Benson J. Lossing, Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War. Volume 1.

Notwithstanding this reputed strength of the insurgents, and thee weariness of his troops, who had been up all night, and had marched many miles in the hot sunbeams, General Peirce, after consultation with his officers, resolved to attack them. The whole force under his command pressed forward, and by half-past 9 o'clock in the morning they reached a point within a mile of the foe, where disposition was made for battle.

To Duryee's Zouaves was assigned the duty of leading in the attack. Skirmishers, under Captains Kilpatrick, Bartlett, and Winslow, and all under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel G. K. Warren, of the Zouaves (who was acquainted with the ground), were thrown out on each side of the road leading to the bridge, closely followed by Duryee, and three pieces of artillery under Lieutenant Greble.¹ On the right of the advancing force was a wood that extended almost to the stream, and on the front and left were an orchard and corn-field. Into the orchard and corn-field Duryee advanced obliquely, with Townsend as a support on his right and rear. Greble, with his battery, continued to advance along the road, with Bendix as a support, whose regiment deployed on the right of the highway, in the wood, toward the left flank of the insurgents, with three companies of Massachusetts and Vermont troops of Washburne's command.

The battle was opened by a Parrott rifled cannon fired from the insurgent battery to the right of the bridge, by Major Randolph, commander of the Richmond Howitzer Battalion. This was answered by cheers from the Union troops, who steadily advanced in the face of a heavy fire, intending to dash across the stream and storm the works. Most of the shot passed over their heads at first. Very soon the firing became more accurate; men began to fall here and there; and at length the storm of shot and shell was intolerable. The skirmishers and Zouaves withdrew from the open fields to the shelter of the wood on the right of the road, whilst Greble, still advancing, poured a rapid and effective shower of grape and canister shot from his battery upon the works of the insurgents, at a distance, finally, of not more than two hundred yards. That position he held for almost two hours, while the remainder of the army was resting and preparing for a general assault. He had only an ordinary force of gunners at first, but Warren managed to send him relief, and by a skillful use of his guns, and limited supply of ammunition, he kept the insurgents within their works.

All things being in readiness, at about noon a charge was sounded, and the troops moved rapidly forward, with instructions to dash across the morass, flank the works of the insurgents, and drive out the occupants at the point of the bayonet. Duryee's Zouaves moved to attack them on their left, and Townsend's New York Third started for like duty on their right, while Bendix, with the New York Seventh and the rest of the Newport-Newce detachment, should assail them on their left flank and rear. Greble, in the mean time, kept his position in the road on their front.

Kilpatrick, Bartlett, and Winslow charged boldly on the front of the foe, while Captain Denike and Lieutenant Duryee (son of the Colonel) and some of Townsend's regiment as boldly fell upon their right. The insurgents were driven out of their battery nearest the bridge, and a speedy victory for the