Brownlow's weekly Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1861-1861, 1861-09-07

:
other divisions were II consequences two and
three hours behind the time appointed
great misfortune as esenis turned out. The
| wood road leading from the Warrenfon tnrn.
pike 10 the upper ford was much longer thsu
ws ecanted upon, the general direction Of the
stream being obliqae 70 the read, and We
| having the obtnse angle on eur side.
! Gen. Tyler commented with bis artillery Al
hale past six A. n, but the euemy did not re-
ply, aud AFTER some tins e bseams question
| whether he was Ia any forke Ia our front, and
/ II be did not intend himaeR to make IA at
/ tack, shd make Il by BlAekbufns Ford. After
] firing everaltimes, and obtaining no response,
| held one Of HeintssleFen's brigsdes in re-
/ serve in case we should have 10 send any
troops back to reinforce Miles division. The
! other brigsdes moved forward as directed iu
| the general orders. On reaching the ford at
! Sudley's Spring, found part of the leading
brigade of Hunters division iBnrnside's bad
crossed, but the men were slow in getting
over, stopping to drink. As at this tiufe the
clouds of dust from the directlon Of Manas-
sas indicated the immediate approach of A
large force, and fearing II might come down
on the head Of the column before the division
could get oRer and sustain Il, orders were
seAt back 10 the head Of regiments TO break
ffoEa the eolumn, aae come forward sepa-
fstely as fast as possible Orders were sent by
an officer TO the reserTe brigade of Hein,ztl-
mans division 70 come by a Rearer road across
the feld, and an aid-de-camp was sent TO
Brigsdier-General Tyler, TO direct him to
press forward his attack, as large bodies OF
the enemy were passing In front of him to
attack the division which had crossed over.
The ground between the stream and the road
leading from Sudley'l Spring south, and
over which Burnside's brigade marched, was
for about a mile thiekly wooded, whilst on
the right Of the road Tor the same distance,
the country was divided between fields and
woods. About mile from the road the coun-
try on both sides of the road Is open, and for
nearly mile further large rolling fields ex-
tend down to the WaFrenton turnpike, which
crosses what became the field of battle
through the valley OF small water course, a
tributary Of Bulls Rum
Shortly after the lssding regiment of the
first brigade reached the open space, and
whilst others and the second brigade were
crossing the front and right, the enemy open
ed fire, beginning with the artillery and fol-
lowing Il mp with infantry. The leading
brigade (Burnside's) bad TO sustain this shock
for some time without support, and did it
well. The ba.taliOa Of regular infantry was
sent to sustain Il, aud shortly afterwards, the
other corps Of Pogterss brigade, and regi-
meat detached from HNin, zelman's division to
the left forced the entmy back far enough TO
allow Sherman's 5 and Keys brigades, of Ty
ler's division, to cross from their position on
the Warrenton road. These drove the right
Of the enemy, understood TO have been COM
manded by Beauregard, from the front Of the
ield, and out of the detached woods, and
down to the road, and across il up the slopes
on the side. Whilst this was going on, Heint.
zelmsn's division was moving down the Geld
TO the stream, and up the road beyond. Be
yond the warrenton road, and to the left Of
the road, down which our troops had march
ed from Sudleys Springs, is hill with
farm house on it. Behind this hill the enemy
had, early In the day, some of his most annoy
ing batteries planted. Across the road frem
this hill was another hill, or rather elevated
ridge, or table land. The hottest party of the
contest was for the possession of this hill,
with house on II.
The force engaged here was Hentzelman's
division, Wilcox's and Howards brigade on
the right, supported by part Of Psrter's brig
ade and the cavalry under Palmer and
Franklins brigade Of HeiniEelmRn's division,
ShermAnis brigade OF TJler's division in the
center and mp the road, whilst Key's brigade
AZ Tyler's division was on the left, attacking
the batteries near the stone bridge The
Rhode Island battery Of Burnside's brigade
also participated In this attack by its FIRE from
the north Of the turnpike. The enemy was
understood TO be commanded by J. T.. John
ston. Ricketts, battery, which did such eff
feetiye service, and played so brilliant part
il the contest, was, together with Gritin's
battery, on the side of the hill, and became
the object Of the special attention Of the eu-
emy, who sueeeeded-our officers mistaking
one Of his regiments for one Of our own, and
allowing IL TO approach withoat firing upon
it--in disabling the battery, and then attempt
ed TO take it, Three times Was be repused
by different corps in succession, and driven
back, and the guns taken by hand, the hors-
es being killed, and putiedpwRy. The third
time IL was supposed that the repulse WAS
final, for he was driven entirely from the hill,
and so far beyond Il as not to be in sight, and
all were certain the day WAS ours He had
before this been driven nearly n mile and a
half, and was beyond the Warrenton road,
which vas entirely Ia enr possession from
the Stone Bridge westward, and our engin-
abattis across the road, 10 allow our REIN
ltfStAtchhe tAsbVhSA w ttoN ehN hgNCS inv
tery) to join us.
The enemy was evidently dlsheartened and
broken. bat we bad been fghting since half
past ten o'clock in the niorniHg, add IL WAS
after three o'clock in the afts-Roon. The
men had been sp sIuce two o'clock in the
morning, aud had what 10 those unused to
such things seemed long march before con-
ing into acti0n.. though the long distance
gone ever was not more thAn nine and half
miles and though they had three days pro-
visions served out 10 them the day before
mAny no dsabt either did net eat them, or
threw thsni away % the march os during the
hattie, and were therefore Without food |
They had done much severe 1ghting Some |
Of the regiments which had been driven from |
the bin In tue first two attempts OF ihe enc
ny 10 keep possession baa bseomc shaken,
were aasiaadg, aud bad nen cut Of the ranks. t