The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-08-17
GREAT BATTLE IN VIRGINIA.
Desperate Fight on the Rapidan be-
tween Banks and jackson.

=" StOneWall " jackson and EWcll.
THE RATTLE.
A correspondent Of the Herald gives
the following account Of the battle:
"In the afternoon Crawford's brigade
Of General Williams's division, composed
Of the Forty sixth Pennsylvania, Tenth
Maine, Fifth Connecticut and Twenty
eighth New York regiments, with Bests
battery OF regulars, moved forward TO q
piece Of high ground between Cedar
creek and crooked river, some four miles
North Of the point where the Culpepper
and Gordonsville turnpike crosses that
stream. TO The South of this point, dis
tant about three lourths Of a mile, rises
the Cedar Mountain, a spur Of the great
thoroughfare range.
No sooner had our troops emerged
from the timber on the North and crossed
Cedar Creek than a battery Of heavy
guns, located in the thick timber half
way up the mountain side, opened upon
them with shot and shell, and another, Of
smaller guns, from a point of timber
about three-eighths Of Il mile to the west
ward.
Bests battery Of Parrot guns was
Immediately planted on the crest of the
hill, and began replying TO the two, while
the infantry were posted in line of battle
to the right OF the battery.
"The enemy kept up continuous fire
from both batteries some half an hour,
which was rapidly returned by Captain
Best, when three additional rebel bate
rics opened from as many different points.
"At about five o'clock the rebel infan-
try were discovered in strong force upon
our right and in front supporting the reb-
ell batteries, when word was sent back
TO the main body stating the fact. Inn
mediately General Augur's division were
thrown forward and posted upon the
right of General Crawford and fronting
the dense timber where the rebel infantry
were posted.
"Gencral Banks now rode on 20 the
field and directed the operations. Gen
eral Geary's brigade of General Augur's
division had the advance and maintained
it admirably. General Geary's brigade
consisted of the Fifth Ohio, Seventh
Ohio, Twenty ninth Ohio, Twenty eighth
Pennsylvania, and Snapps Battery.
"No sooner had these troops taken
their places than the rebels opened mus
kerry fire upon them from two sides and
in front, aided by the batteries before
mentioned.
"The batteries on the mountain also
kept up most destructive fire, but the
federal troops never fatered or even
WINGED. At half-past five the battle be-
came general, artillery replying TO artil-
lery and infantry to infantry, and des-
peration was the order of the day. The
fight continued until darkness put a stop
TO the carnage. | have witnessed many
battles during this war, but l have seen
none where the tenacious Obstinacy Of
the American character was so fully dis
played.
"Our troops fought with the valor of
veterans. No sooner did a vOlley of mus
kerry or a discharge of artillery NOW
down the ranks OF regiment than the
gaps were closed up and a new front pr,
sented. Regiment We'd with regiment,
and brigade with brigade, IN deeds OF
valor; and few instances indeed were
there where even individuals faltered.
"The Eighth and Twelfth Regulars,
attached TO Gen. Banks corps, led by
Capt. Pitcher, did excellent service. Cap
! tain Pitcher was wounded severed Y,
| though not dangerously, in the knee by a
muskct shot, but he kept the field until
! the end.
"Wilh the setting in Of darkness the
! firing Of musketry ceased, but the arul-
lery upon the mountain kept up a ran
dom fire until near midnight. At dark
our troops withdrew to a small cOpse OF
wood, about half mile TO the rear OF
! their first position, where they We're join
cd soon after by the corps of Generals
Mcdowell and Sigel, who formed in their
| rear.
"At nine o'clock in the evening, the
hungry and wounded troops of General
Banks were relieved by portions of Nc
Dowelps command, and fell back a hall
mile, resting on their arms in pleasant
clover field.
"The night was unusually lustrous
and all prominent objects were as plainly
distinguished as in the bright daylight
! Thoroughfare mountain doomed up TO the
west, a rebel signal light now flashing
through space, and our long columns
standing by their muskCts stretched NJ
and down all the slopes and fields, wer,
dimly deserted with their faces towards
the enemy.
! Crawford's brigade, which had borne
the brunt of the fight, threw themselves
almost exhausted, upon the moist grass
and talked over the adventures of tho
battle. Some Of the men incautiously
made fires and this revealing our posi-
ton, the enemy commenced Smelling us
"Their firing was generally excellent
the shells bursting among trains, ambu
lances and horses, soon compelling on
soldiers TO move back toward Culpep
per.
a panic was very nearly occasioneC
at1his time, as the regiments took 10 thei
heels to get out Of range, and seeing 81
many men retreating, Others that had no
reached the field also started TO run, anC
soon the roads were crowded with fright
ened people, who added TO the existing
mislortunes by telling wild stories of re
pulse, loss and discontinue.
Soon the Proyos's Guards wcr
thrown across the roads and fields, stop
ping stragglers, and suffering only th
wounded to pass,
"phe wounded came in on foot il
great numbers, and the ambulances wer
promptly on the spot TO carry of thos
unable TO walk.
"The scenes that made the morning
light terrible were the concomitants o
all battle fields, but the unusually heay!
loss of field aud line officers was remark
able.
"Most Of our wounded are WOUNDED
in the lower limbs
About four O'Clock in the alternoo