Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 08.djvu/409

Rh opening, and some five or six hundred yards from the railroad. I subsequently met General A. P. Hill, and spoke to him of our relative positions.

Nothing of interest occurred on Friday and Friday night. Saturday morning I ordered the Seventh and Eighteenth regiments beyond the railroad to support three batteries which had been placed on a hill immediately in their front. Lieutenant-Colonel Hill at once approached the captain of one of the batteries, told him he would insure its safety against any attempt on the part of the enemy to capture it, and that he must let him know when he wished him to move to the front. As soon as the fog lifted, heavy skirmishing commenced along my whole line, and the enemy were seen advancing. Our skirmishers, with the exception of Captain Turner's company on the left, fell back. The batteries just alluded to opened with telling effect and checked their advance. During the firing, Captain Turner withdrew his company, as his men were suffering, and rejoined his regiment. Several pieces of the artillery, after firing a few rounds, hurried from the field, saying they were "choked." On intimation from one of the Captains of the batteries, Lieutenant-Colonel Hill promptly moved his regiment to the crest of the hill in front of the enemy, and delivered a volley at the sharpshooters who were in range, the artillery all limbering up and driving to the rear. The Seventh and Eighteenth both suffered from the enemy's artillery fire and at times from their sharpshooters. About two hours later, the enemy advanced in strong force across the open field to the right of my front. Colonel Barbour—his regiment being on the right—informed me through Adjutant Oates of the advance, and wished to know what he must do should he be flanked. On being ordered to hold his position as long as possible, he deflected his three right companies, and formed them to the rear at right angles to the track. I at once sent my courier, Mr. Shepperd, to inform General A. P. Hill that the enemy were advancing in force upon the opening—Captain Hawks having been previously sent to apprise him that their skirmishers were in front of the same. Eight regiments were seen to pass my right, and another to move "by the right flank by file left" between the same body of woods and the fence beyond the track. This last regiment then faced by the rear rank and opened fire upon my right. The three companies of the Thirty-seventh became hotly engaged, and General Gregg's command was soon after encountered on the Military road. Although our right was