Benson J. Lossing, Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War. Volume 2.

[448] communication with the Rappahannock at Fredericksburg at all hazards, and to that end he now made his movements conform. He could not determine, all day long, whether Jackson intended to strike Madison or Culpepper Court-House; so, as offering the greater safety to his communications, he drew his army still closer to the latter place, where he had his Headquarters, and on the morning of the 9th he sent Banks forward to Cedar Run with his whole corps, consisting of about eight thousand men, to join Crawford¹ near Cedar or Slaughter's Mountain, eight miles southward, take command of all the forces there, attack the enemy as soon as he should appear, and rely upon re-enforcements from Headquarters. Sigel was ordered to advance from Sperryville at the same time, to the support, of Banks.

Jackson had now gained the commanding heights of Cedar Mountain. From that eminence he could look down upon the National camps and estimate the strength of his foe. The vision satisfied him that he had but little to fear, so he sent Ewell forward with his division under the thick mask of the forest. Early's brigade of that division was thrown upon the Culpepper road, and the remainder took position along the western slope of the mountain, and planted batteries at an altitude of two hundred feet above the, common level below, so as to sweep the open cultivated country. Four guns, meanwhile, had been advanced to the front, and these, with the more elevated ones, opened fire on Crawford's batteries, while a part of Jackson's corps, under General Charles S. Winder, was thrown out to the left under the covering of the woods. Hill's division came up soon afterward; and when, at five o'clock in the afternoon, the Confederates threw out skirmishers, with a heavy body behind them ready to take the initiative, they had about twenty thousand veteran soldiers in line of battle, very strongly posted.

Against these odds Banks moved at five o'clock across the open fields and up gentle slopes, in the face of a fearful storm from artillery and infantry, and fell almost simultaneously upon Early on Jackson's right, and upon his left, commanded by General Taliaferro. The attacking force was composed of the divisions of General Augur, the advance led by General Geary,² and the division of General Williams, of which Crawford's gallant brigade was a part. The battle at once became general, and for an hour and a half a fierce