Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 4.djvu/122

104 advance of Jackson, Archer’s, Thomas and Fender’s brigades acting in concert had rendered most effective service. Latham’s and Reilly’s batteries contributed their full share to this victory.

The Federal army retreated toward Fairfax, and Jackson was sent in pursuit over the Little River road. Near Germantown was fought, on the 1st of September, what the Confederates call the battle of Ox Hill. The Federals name it Chantilly. As soon as Jackson overtook the Federals, he deployed for attack, and the battle was fought during a terrific storm. The brigades of Branch and Brockenbrough were sent forward to develop the enemy’s force, and were soon hotly engaged, and Branch was exposed to a heavy fire in front and on his flank. General Hill, whose brigades were mainly engaged, says: &quot;Gregg, Fender, Thomas and Archer were successively thrown in. The enemy obstinately contested the ground, and it was not until the Federal generals, Kearny and Stevens, had fallen in front of Thomas brigade, that they were driven from the ground. They did not retire far until later in the night, when they entirely disappeared. The brunt of this fight was borne by Branch, Gregg and Fender.&quot;

Col. R. H. Riddick, whose power as a disciplinarian and ability as a field officer had made the Thirty-fourth regiment so efficient, was mortally wounded there, as was Maj. Eli H. Miller, and Captain Stowe, commanding the Sixteenth North Carolina. The fighting on both the Confederate and the Federal side during this campaign was such as is done only by seasoned and disciplined troops, commanded by officers of mettle and ambition. In modern war, the range of the rifle has about broken up personal conflict, and lines of battle do not often come in close contact; but in these engagements around Manassas, hand-to-hand fighting actually occurred. General Grover reports that, in his charge on Jackson, bayonet wounds were given ; on the right a Confederate col-