Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 18.
Reverend J. William Jones, Ed.

The battle Begins.

The battle commenced on our right early in the day and raged with unmitigated fury. The left wing of our army was not moved forward until later in the day, when it pushed down the Nine-Mile road in the direction of York River railroad, encountering the enemy's guard pickets, which we drove in, captured their camp and a good many stores. The enemy seemed to be in full retreat. Our lines were pushed forward rapidly, General Johnston and staff riding in front of his line of battle. Just as he reached the point where the York River railroad crosses the Nine-Mile road the enemy opened a tremendous fire with musketry and artillery from a body of woods on our front and left. General Johnston and staff rode back about [187] two hundred yards to an elevated position near a small house, which he occupied until he was wounded. The fire of artillery and musketry in our front was then terrific. I being in a few yards of where General Johnston sat on his horse, dismounted and stood with my horse before me. I had an oil cloth strapped on the front of my saddle directly in front of my breast. The minnie balls were flying so very thick I thought I would stoop a little behind my horse, when as I stooped a bullet tore through the oil cloth, just missing the top of my head. It was a powerful close shave. About this time fresh troops going into battle stopped to load their muskets near where I stood, and double-quicked towards the enemy. When the line moved forward after loading, there was an old fellow who had not finished loading, and while thus standing, a shell struck the ground in a few feet of him; but he coolly remarked to himself, ‘you cannot do that again!’ During this time the battle was raging with great fury all along the line.