Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 09.djvu/129

120 brigade had not yet gotten up), made a desperate effort to capture them, charging them in flank, right and left. As soon as his intentions were made known, I charged the regiment which was threatening the right, drove them back, and the gallant Boston drove his assailants on the left back in confusion and dismay, after emptying many of their saddles. The enemy brought his artillery into position, but the brigade coming to my support, our own artillery replied briskly and for a moment the fight between the cavalry became less vigorous. Each battery, the enemy's, and our own, firing over my regiment; and having suffered several casualties from the latter, it became necessary for me to move from between the two, which I did promptly, but was compelled to take a position from which I could not support my line of skirmishers so well as before, and the reinforcements sent from the brigade to them taking up a position considerably in their rear; and the remainder of the brigade being engaged on the left, on the Snickers Gap Pike, their condition became very critical. The enemy greatly outnumbering us appeared in force everywhere, and it became apparent that victory was the only means of escape. I ordered Boston to hold his position at all hazards, and nobly and faithfully did he obey. Onset after onset of the enemy he gallantly repulsed, until after the enemy had pressed beyond the left, overwhelmed his support, killed one of his Lieutenants, wounded another, and his Junior Captain, and killed and wounded a third of his men, that he surrendered to overwhelming odds. The enemy gaining some advantage on the left, I moved immediately in that direction, reporting at the same time to Colonel Wickham who was supporting the battery in my rear. I arrived on the heights near Aldie on the Snickers Gap Pike just as the enemy had charged and was pursuing one of our regiments.

I charged with my entire regiment, with a view of cutting the enemy off and capturing him, but as I was discovered he escaped through the fields, with the exception of a squadron, all of which were killed, wounded or captured, with their horses and arms. I then rallied my regiment and moved around the hill with a view of attacking a regiment which had formed on the hill, but as soon as they discovered my intention they began to fall back and were charged by one our regimentone of our regiments [sic] and we thus got possession of the field. What occurred after this was under the immediate eye of the Colonel commanding, and I deem it unnecessary to relate it. The gallant and heroic manner in which Captain Boston and his men acted in this (one of the most vigorous cavalry fights I was ever engaged in) makes them the pride of their regiment. I regret to say that Lieutenant John S. Ragsdale was