Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 08.djvu/570

558 Mile Creek, below the Kingsland road. An immense area of forest about the Drill house had been filled. The fort and these lines seemed to be thinly manned, but obstructions in the way of felled timber, abattis, &c., were immense. A little after dark we were ordered back to camp. In this day's work I lost eleven men, and one officer, in killed, wounded and missing. We remained quiet in camp fortifying and completing winter quarters, until the night of the 22nd, when we were ordered off in haste to Gordonsville. I left camp at half past 11 o'clock, P. M., and started the first train from Richmond with two regiments, (2nd and 5th,) but did not reach Gordonsville until 10 o'clock, A. M. I moved my two regiments out with all proper speed on the Madison Turnpike, where I was informed by a staff officer, that General Lomax was confronting the enemy. I found him about two miles out and the enemy drawn up from six to eight hundred yards in his front. There was in one place a solid mass of them, covering probably two or three acres of ground. I told him that I had two or three regiments of infantry at hand to assist him, and suggested, that as we could not shift as rapidly as horsemen, that he put us in the position most important to be held. He replied that the position on the Madison Turnpike was the all-important point, and pointing to the massed enemy said, they are now preparing to charge. I immediately put my regiments in position, one on either side of the road, relieving the cavalry, who moved out on the flanks. We were all ready now, and as they were slow about the charge, I sent out a company of sharp-shooters into a tongue of wood, about one hundred and fifty yards in front of our lines, to kill some of them. About this time one of my regiments, by some mistake, and without my orders, opened a scattering fire upon them. Before I could stop it, they made the mass of the enemy deploy, and retire out of range. It (the mass) was not more than six hundred yards from my line, and I might have opened fire upon them with effect, and would have done so, but for the hope and expectation that they would charge us. In a short time they withdrew, taking the road towards Liberty Mills; some of the sharp-shooters followed them and took possession of the field, found three wounded Yankees, and two or three dead horses and men, also several bee-gums just opened, but not robbed. The rest of the brigade arrived during the evening and night. On the evening of the next day the whole brigade took cars for Richmond, but owing to the bad condition of the road, did not all reach Richmond until 9 o'clock P. M., on the 25th December. I am happy to report not one single casualty on this expedition. We returned to our old position on the line,