Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 23.djvu/131

 lantry and the Federals. Private William Kxall and Lieutenant lame- B. Payne of that company, were wounded, the former fatally, living the same day, and the latter so a> to incapacitate him for furtlu-r service in the field.*

We fell back a few hundred yards to a branch near a saw-mill. and about night a slight snow, two or three inches deep, fell. We used the planks lying about the saw-mill to shelter us, as ur had no tents, and spent a most uncomfortable night. The next day (the 4th of January) the ground was covered with snow, and the cold was intense. We resumed our march on the road toward Hath, and crept along, freezing as we crept, pretty nearly all day. When we got to within half a mile of Hath, it was nearly sunset, when there were indications of a stir in coir front. Presently we heard rapid firing (but not in volleys), and then shouts, and soon came the order to advance quickly. The men mounted the carriages, and we dashed forward at a trot into the village. In the centre of the street leading toward Hancock, lay a horse, smok- ing-hot and bleeding, which had just been shot by some of the cav- alry, who, with General Jackson and his staff, had just preceded us. We had to make a slight deflection to pass the dead horse, at sight of which some of our animals were greatly excited. Our battery pressed on some three miles at a trot till about dark, when it reached the hill south of the Potomac, overlooking the village of Hancock, which lay near the river, in Maryland. The enemy, after passing through Bath, had divided, some going westward by the road to "Sir John's Run," and some toward Hancock, and were pursued by our troops on both roads. The battery engaged the artillery of the enemy that night and renewed the fight next day, but ex- perienced no loss of men or horses; and we did not discover that we did much damage, if any, to the enemy. The only casualty so far had been caused by the falling of the horse ridden by one of our sergeants as we passed the dead horse on the street in Bath. The sergeant's horse became frightened, and reared and fell as a caisson was passing. The rider's head was struck against the wheel, and he was rendered half-conscious. An ugly cut above the eyebrow had to be dressed by the surgeon, but he rejoined the battery next morning.

unexpected, but it was warmly returned, when they broke cover, and scatter- ing, were pursued desultorily by the advance of the column, and a number of them killed. ED.
 * The Federals were in ambush, to the right of the road. Their fire was