, 1862-03-22

ton to protect US from the rain and cold
above. With boots, cap, and undercoat on,
We lay down scarcely expecting to sleep, but
fatigue made even this rough couch bed Of
the pine branch roof Of our house awoke Us
several times, but always the Light Of the well
fed fire i1umincd one-half of the persons OF
those grouped about them, leaving the other
half In darkness, like the figures In some old
pictures.
THE ADVANCE TO THE FIELD.
In an instant the scene of 1azity succeeded
the first turning out Of drowsy men WAS trans
formed into one Of the utmost activity. Sol
diers hastily rolled up their blankets, elung
their hayer5acks over their shoulders, and
grasping their weapons, fell into their places
along the line in obedience to the storm Of
orders to Stall in men, to your places prompt
were formed in the woods, along their line In
dicated by their muskets stacked On the night
previous. Seldom have seen IN order obey
ed with more alacrity and spirit.
TIE ENGAGEMENT.
At half past seven the two columns had ad-
yapced to position where it Was necessary to
determine more accurately the location aud
nature Of the works Of the enemy. General
Fosters column had reached curve In the
road on The further side Of which the trees
had been filed evidently to give 4 wider field
for the enemy's artillery.
The regiments Of the first brigade having
taken their positions, they gradually ap-
preached the edge Of the woods, towards the
enemy, when the guns from the battery
followed By yo1ley Of musketry, which WAS
responded to by the regiments On the right,
and Immediately afterwards the guns along
the whole line, opposed to Gen. Fosters col
nmn, and the nusketEy Of the infantry behind
the work filed the air with bullets and cannon
shot. The sound produced by the flying mis-
silcs Was like breeze Of wind, so well sus-
| taincd was their fire. Our troops returned
| the fire with vfgor-
The column Of Gen. Parke came up the
road, headed by the 4th Rhode Island, Col
| Rodlnap, at the double quick, until they came
within supporting distance Of The colamn en-,
gagged. 1.,. .o, ,.
cute flank movement on the enemy's right
according to General Burnside's order, i'd
vaneed on the railroad considering that thu
extreme right Of their position. 4 battery ot
five field guns had been plnced in position at !:
brick yard, the excavations OF which afforded
complete protection to the rebels. This bat
t teIy was Situated on the right flank of tht
| breastwork, and its position BY us was deemed
the turning point In our favor.
As the column advanced toward the crest o
rising piece ofground, the foggy atmospher'
| partially obscuring the enemy works, the,
| received q vol1ey Of muzketrJ from the near
est Of . line Of thirteen redoubts, occupying
as many cmincnces, with deep sloughs between
them, extending mile and quarter beyont
what WIS supposed TO be the Termination 0
the rebel works On the rai1road.
For the first time the tremendous strength
| OF the enemy's position WAS discovered. Al
the information that had been received wa
silent on the subject Of this line Of works t.
the rebel right OF the railroad.
The 2ist Massachusetts,, and the 51st Net
| York returned the enemy's fire steadily from
behind the crest OF the hill, and we're expose
whenever they delivered their fire to an emf
ladiug fire from the long line Of redoubts an
from The artillery in the brick yard. The fir
Col. Clark determined to attack and if poss
bic silence it. He therefore advanced Wit
four companies and charged the battery, whjc
was at once evacuated By the artilleryme1
and taken possession Of by our men. The
| did not remain long in possession, however
formed two regiments, in q rlking lint
and were about to open on thel
when they observed the gray oyercoats Of th
21st, which they for moment mistuok for tiI
uniform Of their friends and hesitated. Co
Clark fEding himself unsupported, and ot
serving the hesitation Of the rebels, orderc
his men to leap over the ramparts and fro7
the otlcr side hold the rebels at bay for som
time, reversing the operation Of the breas
works until he retired to his original position
, The engagement was now general Or
| troops were drawn up in line of battle in frol
| Of the batteries, hurliug 9 storm Of bullets
the rebels, which were returned with unila,
. girg yigor
gun opening fire on the rebels as soon as
took its position The roll of muskctry ar
the booming Of cannon VAS incessant, and |
add to tie terriic eject Of the conflict, Il
gnnboa!s joined the battle from the waite
and their S-iEcA and 1G0-pound shells roar<
through tic air and burst with terrible for:
in the enemy's batteries
The engagement continued, .derccly co
tested On both sides, for one hour, witho
intCrmission in the discharges OF musket
. and cannoH.
. Lieutenant Pcnd1eton, who conducted II
eth Massachusetts into the field, return,
with the report that they needed support,
their ammunition was nearly eytlauste
General Foster ordered the 11th Connectic
to advance and take their position, The 27
we're ordered to Lie down.. and the 1th a
) Tanoed oFer them into position, delivering
| well directed 1re1nto the enenay's front. Th
, IN unbroken line Of fire was Kept on the en
! InY'e position.
another aid reported that the ammunitit
Of tue sd was exhausted, and General Fost
ordered the 10th Connecticut to relieve thel
The 23d Was ordered to maintain their po
/ | ton until relieved. The brave fellows sto
t their ground, almost inactive, receiving t
| 2LNE1 LIZ, oILllGElt Il EutL. Lit 4Ul
J, on taking the place Of the ::,33d, which retir
! In perfect order, delivered q tremendous VI
i ley, and kept up such fire On the battery Il
T. for 4 few minutes the FIRE from their guns y
si1enced or very much weakened.
}, The 11th Connectieut had kept up such (
d | on the rebel works that they were rapidly
a | pending their ammunition, when the q
J, Massachusetts WIS ordered from the right
' the left to support them. This moyems
was executed in perfect order, retiring in I
d face of Il heavy fire from tile siege guns in I
/, water battery on the enemy's left flank, a
i. coming into action on our left under fiel
q fire from the rebel artillery on the right.
9 The battle on our left with General Ren
d column, was Waged 6ercc1y and with yaric
n results. Our men were somewhat shelte,
e from the cnemy's fire by their position uu'
J. the hill, but in the sloughs between they 8
e yanced beyond the protection Of the hill 8
If were obliged to retire, losing many men
d both advances.
5, The 9th New jersey On our left was 81
% ported by the 51st Pennsylvania, and cngass eng
the enemy's redoubts on the right. At h;
If past eight o'clock our entire line was cnga.
e. in frcnt with no reserve to tall back on. I
j. regiments, whose ammunition WAS cxpend
Is were Of little uEe except In the event q
t. baycnet charge -i
d 4: General Bufnsias sfrived on the field at t
juncture, and direet@ the movements pera
Ill ally. His Aids, at:wel as those Of Geus
m | Reno, Foster and 'Parke, were riding in ey
r. direction, bearing orders and directions
he Of General Rcno'E Aids came to Gent
ae Burnside shortly afEcr his arrival on the tit
Of and Informed him that Reno's brigade wus
tirely engaged along the front Of the enem
be position, and that he {Reno) required at
er 1ionl forces to flank the enemy. Gen. Be
ia side scnt the Aid back with Instructions
;ly General Reno to take the redoubts at all l
st ards; that he had not q man to spare hiul
At a quarter past nine o'clock General Pa
discovered an uncovered point in the enen
:o- works, where the breastWorks terminated
- the railroad, between which and the bri
n. yard vas IN opening uncovered By the II
.at guns.
a. a. Through this gap General PaIke orde
81 the 4th Rhode Island, Col. Rodman, to
~ vance, and having gained the interior Of
a.. works they formed wing front, pouring ,
ed rebcl I position. This Started The M rebels iaS 81
9s ;ss the consciousness that their position on
ne left was turned Their fire silckened,
~ ~ ceased, and they finally broke as General
~ ter ordered an advance by his entire co1u
~ ~ and retreated rapidly through laEge enca
VI ment in the rear OF their position.
- The eth Rhode Is1and, Major Wright,
or- er the 9Th Connecticut, Col. Harland, folio
TX the 4th Rhode Island through the gap, an
~ - General Reno was still lotiy engaged with
~. ~ rebel redouhts on their right, he ordered
~ ~ 9Th Rhode Island battalion to attack the
~; doubts in flank. Their progress in dislods
! an y the rebels did not satisfy Gen. Parkc, and
~ sent the 9Th Connecticut to their asslsta
~, ~ and still the enemy were not repulsed 3
20 length ordered Colonel Rodman to attack
~ ~ position with the 4th Rhode Island, aud t
81; g. force, with the two reg giments already
~ forward, and general movement Oh the +
~ BY Gen. Reno, drove the rebels from
| Al fho 51nA nHr 70 <1,o xs.