The eastern clarion. [volume] (Paulding, Miss.) 1837-1863, 1861-09-20

companies Ol light infantry, occupied
ridge On tha len Of the Centreville road
Iaat SIS hundred yards in advance .
G. Che Ford with two 6-pourder smooth
3 guns. At FIRST The firing or the encm,
was 90 random, but Uy hal.-past u z. NJ.
ne had obtained the range of our posi-
.ion and poured into the BRIGADE show
en- o! shot, but without injury tous I'm men
horse or gans. From the distance, how
ever our gums could not reply with effect
Z and wo did not attempt IL, patiently
! awaiting more opportune moment.
a Meanwhile, light battery was pushed
s liorFMl hy the enemy, Whereupon Kem
rtHrew oatv SN s0lId shot. with tn,
cteo. of driving back both the batter
end i.s supporting force. This is under
: stood 10 have been Ayres Battery. and the
damage must have been considerable {,
= have obliged such a rerograde movement
on the part Of Chat officer.
= The purpose, of Kemper's position hav
ting neH been fully served, his pieces and
support We're Withdrawn across Mitchell.
Ford, TO q point previously designed, and
which commanded the direct approache.
% the ford
About haltpast II o'clock A. NJ, the
enemy was also discovered by the pickets
10. Loucstreet's Brigade advancing IN
/ strong COLUMNS Of infantry, with artillery
and cavalry, ON Blackburn's Ford.
/ At meridian the pickets fell back,
/ silently, before the advancing fire acros,
tde ford Whch--as well as the entire
southern bank of the stream, for the
whole tront Longstrcets Brieade-wa,
covered at the waters edge by an extend.
ed line OF skirmishers, while two 6-pound-
e's Of Walton's Battery, under Lieutenant
Ganett were adyantageously placed to
+ command the direct approach tothe ford,
but with orders TO retire to the rear as
soon as commanded by the enemy.
The Northern bank Of the stream, in
/ front OF Longstreets position, rises with
a steep slope at least fifty feet above the
| level Of the water. leaving narrow stream
in front Of the force Of some 20 yards
This ridge formed for them an admirable
natural parapct, behind which they could.
and did, approach under shelter, in heavy
force, within less than 100 yards Of our
sl,irmishers. The Southern shore was al
most a plain, raised but a few feet above
the water for several hundred yards then
rising with a very gradual, gentle slope,
and unduluiious, back to Manassas. On
the immediate bank there was % fringe OF
trees, but with little. if any, undergrowth
or shelter while on their other there were
timber and much thick brush and cover
ing The ground in rear ofour skirmishers
JeldeEtoudngaIong the Stream auouJ one
mile and Immediately back for about hall
mile 10 q border on skirting of dense,
second growth pines. The whole Of this
ground was commanded at all points by
the ridge occupied by the cnemy'-
musketry, as was also the country to the
rear. for adiatancc much beyond the range
OF 1apounder rAed guns, by the range OF
4 hills on which their batteries were plan.
ted, and which, il may be further noted,
commanded also all our approaches from
this direction to the three threatened
iords.
Before advancing his infantry theenemy
maintained q fire OF rifle artillery from the
/ batteries lust mentioned for half an hour
! then be pushed forward % column OF over
! 1900 infantry TO the assault, with such
a weight OF numbers as 10 be repelled
with difficulty by the comparative small
force OF not more than twelve hundred
| ba,onets, with which Bugadier-General
lonestreet met him with characteristic
vigor and intrepidity. Our troops engag
ed at this lime were the First and Seventh,
and four companies Of the Eleventh Regi.
ment Virginia Volunteers their resis
Mnce was resolute, and maintained with
a sleadiness worthy Of oil praise it was
successful, and the enemy was repulsed
Ina short time, however, he returned to
the contest with increased force and
determination, but was again foiled and
driven back by our skirmishers and Long
streets reserve companies, which were
brought up and employed at the most
| vigorously assoiied points at the critical
moment.
It was now that Brigadcr General Long
street sent FOR rreiniorcements from Earlv's
Brigade, which had anticipated by
directing the advance of Gen Early, with
tworegments Of infantry and two pieces Of
artillery. As these came upon the field
the enemy had advanced a third time
| with heavy numbers to force Lone7,reets
position Hays Regiment, 7th Louisiana
| Volunteers, which was in advance was
placed on the bank Of the. stream, under
ONE cover TO the immediate right ana
left Of the ford, relieving Corse'sreglment,
lIth Virginia Volunteers this was done.
under 70 heavy Gre of mueketIY with
promising steadine-s. The 7th Virginia.
j under Lieutenant-Colonel Williams, was
then formed to the right, also under
heavy lire, and pushed forward to the
. stream relieving the lss Regiment Nr-
. ginia Volunteers At the same time two
G rifle guns, brought up with Early's B1.
1 gade, were moved down IN the field to the
e right Of the road so as 90 be concealed
Z from the enemy's artillery by the girth o
{ timber on the immediate bank OF one
p stream ond there opened fire directed
. only by the sound Of the enemy
u mu-keuy. Unable TO effect O passage
j. The enemy kept up q scattering fire io
Z some time Some Of our troops ha'
2 pushed across the stream, and severn
small parties OF Corse's regiment, unde
x command Of Captain Marye met au'
drove the enemy with the bayonct bu
Y. rs the roadway from the ford was too naI
b. row for q combined movement in force
& Gen. Lonestreet recalled them TO th'
4 South bank. Meanwhile. the remainde
e Of Early infantry and artillery had 6eeI
IeI called up-that is, six companies oi th
p oath Regiment Virginia Volunteers, un
j. der Lieutenant-Colonel Haif-ton, and nv
l pieces Of artillery. one rifle gun and iou
y G-pounder brass guns, under Lieutenan
s. Garnett, which had been previously zen
le 10 the rear by General Longstreet IhI
y. infantry was at once placed in position {
lo the left Of the ford, in a space unoccupie
by HAYS, and the artillery was unlimbe
Of ed in battery to the right Of the roa
lt in a line with the two guns already in az
20 ton. A scattering FIRE Of musketry we