Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 09.djvu/33

24 and seeing the enemy's position across the railroad, who was then sweeping the front of my column with a battery in position near the crossroads, I moved to the left in double quick, crossed the railroad and formed line of battle upon the left of that just established by General Colquitt. About this time the engagement became general. In a few moments I was informed by one of General Colquitt's staff that I was in proper position. Being now at long range (300 yards) I advanced in conjunction with the right of the line to about two hundred yards of the enemy, who stubbornly stood their ground. In about this position the field was hotly contested by both parties for about one hour, when the enemy gave slowly away before the close pressure of our gallant men. (It was during this, while riding with my staff down the line from the left toward the center, that my ordnance officer, R. T. Dancy, was instantly killed, and my aid-de-camp, Lieutenant Horace B. Clark, and one of my couriers had their horses shot under them).

But soon a new line of the enemy appeared, and our advance was checked. His resistance now seemed more stubborn than before, for more than twenty minutes, when the enemy suddenly gave back, apparently to seek a better position, but still held us at bay.

Now the result of the day seemed doubtful. It was whispered down the lines (particularly in the Sixth and Thirty second Georgia regiments) that our ammunition was failing, and no ordnance train in sight. This I immediately reported to General Colquitt, who urged that we hold our ground, stating that our ammunition would certainly reach us directly. This, I am proud to say, was heroically complied with by my command, many of them for fifteen or twenty minutes standing their ground without a round of ammunition. Seeing the critical state of affairs, I dismounted myself, placed one of my staff, whose horse had been disabled, upon mine, who, together with the remainder of my staff and couriers was employed in conveying ammunition from a train of cars, some half mile or more distant. It was in the discharge of this duty that Lieutenant George M. Blount, my acting assistant adjutant-general, was shot from his horse, but not seriously wounded. By several trips, they succeeded in supplying sufficient ammunition to our line, to enable a reopening of a rapid and effective fire, before which the enemy had commenced to retire slowly, still keeping up their fire upon us, when the First Florida battalion, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel F. Hopkins and a section of Guerard's battery under Lieutenant W. Robert Geguillist arrived from the entrenchments. I at once ordered the former to the support of the Sixty-fourth Georgia regiment, whose ammunition was nearly all exhausted, and the latter to take position