Page:A memoir of the last year of the War of Independence, in the Confederate States of America.djvu/50

46 on us, but, as night soon came on, he went into camp in our front.

On my arrival at Lynchhurg, orders had been given for the immediate return oi the trains for the rest of my infantry, and I expected it to arrive by the morning of the 18th, but it did not get to Lynchburg until late in the afternoon of that day. Hunter's force was considerably larger than mine would have been, had it all been up, and as it was of the utmost consequence to the army at Richmond that he should not get into Lynchburg, I did not feel justified in attacking him until could do so with a fair prospect of success. I contented myself therefore with acting on the defensive on the 18th, throwing Breckenridge's infantry and a part of his artillery on the front line, while that adopted by General Hill was occupied by the dismounted cavalry and the irregular troops. During the day, there was artillery firing and skirmishing along the line, and, in the afternoon, an attack was made on our line, to the right of the turnpike, which was handsomely repulsed with considerable loss to the enemy. A demonstration of the enemy's cavalry on the Forest road, was checked by part of Breckenridge's infantry under Wharton, and McCausland's cavalry.

On the arrival of the cars from Richmond this day. Major Generals Elzey and Ransom reported for duty, the former to command the infantry and dismounted cavalry of Brecken-