, 1862-10-09

doubt, the most hotly contested field
on which battle has taken place during
TIC Wal.
THE FIGHT CroS TIE CENTRE
Soon after the cessation OF the fight On the
left, the enemy made q strong demonstration
upon our centre, in front Of the division OF
Gen. D. H. Hill Here, for while, the con
test was carried on mainly By artillery, with
which both the enemy and ourselves were
abundantly supplied. The only difference be-
tween the two, if any at all, Was in the su-
priority Of their metal and positions, and on
our par1 the lack Of sufficient ammunition.
Battery after battery WAS sent to the rear eK-
hausted, and our ordnance wagons, until late
in the day, were on the opposite side OF the |
Potomac, blocked up By the long com mlssary |
trains, which had been ordered forward from
Martinsburg and Shepherdetown to relieve |
tie necessities OF the army.
As indicated In the former part OF this let
ter, our artillery WIS posted on the submits
in front of the town. That Of the enemy, With
onc exception WAS on the rising ground at
the base OF the Blue Ridge, and upon tue Va
T!ous eminences this side. A single federal
hat:ery was boldly thrown over the stone
bridge on the turnpike, 900 or 1,0oo yards N
with hardihood worthy OF a better cause.
/ cannot now name all the positions Of the
different batteries-only those which saw
Altogether, we may have had playing at this
time 100 guns: The enemy having at least
hor1id concert fillrd the air, and no unremit-
tng was the hail Of heavy balls and shells,
now tearing their way through the trees, now
bursting and throwing their mutderous fragg-
ments on every side, and again burying them
always where they were least expected.
This exchange OF iron compliments had
bern kent up from early morning, but at II
| o'clock the fire btzan to concentrate and in
crease in severity Columns of the enemy
could be distinctly seen across the Aotetam,
| On 1le open ground beyond, moving as if in
preparation to advance. Others were SO far
in the distance that you could recognize them
| as troops only by the sunlight that Cleaned
upon their arms, while considerable nu 1bers
! were within cannon shot, dedautly Haunting
their flags in our faces. At 12 o'clock the
seer from the apex OF the turnpike was truly
| magnificent, and the eye embraced picture
such rs falls to the lot Of few men to look
upon In this age
| From twenty different etandpoints great
volumes Of smoke were every inEtant leapin5
from the muzzles Of aug1y guns The air Was
| flled with the white fantastic shapes that
iloattd away fr"m hursted shells. Men were
ieap:ug 10 and fro, loaaing,. firing aud handling
the artillery, and no~ aud then hearty yell
would reach the ear amid the tn multi that
ke Of death or disaster from some well
aiued bali. Before us were thu enemy. A
regiment or two had crossed til. river, AMI
. running in Equals from the woods along its
banks, were trytug to form line. Saddeu1j
T | shell falls among them, and another and an
Other, until the thousands s:atter Ike sT4ra
Of flies, and disappear in the woods a secon,
] time tue effort is made, aud there is . secoat
failure. Then there is diversion Tae bat
terics Of the federals open atresh; their inautr
) Try another point, and fiuslly they succeed il
under D. H. Hill, meet them, and a ferc
I battle ensues in the centre Backwards, for
:. wards, surging and swaying like ship in
| storm, the various columns are seen In m1
= ton. 1t ia hot place for us, but is hottie
. still for the enemy. Tney are directly undo
!. our guns, and We nov them down like grass
:. The raw lcytcs, sustained by the veterans te
hind, come up to the work we'll, and fight TO
'' short time with an excitement incident t
:, their novel experiences OF battle; but 500
Their reserves come up. and endeavor to II
= tIieye tue fortunes nf the day. Our ceutrt
however, stands aA firm as adamant, and the
tall back Pursuit on our part is useless, fe
Of the river, It would be against the side of tt
mountain, wbere one man. fighting TOR h
y life aud liberty, disciplined or undiscfpliae
would be equal to! dnzeu.
le Meanwhile deadly work has been going c
l. amoog our artillery. Whatever they M
have made others suffer, nearly all the como
y nies have suffered severely themselves II
sr t great balls and shells Of the enemy have bet
le t thrown with wonderful ACCURACY, and d.:
le and wounded men, horses aud disabled cal
e. SONS. are visible In every battery. The
If stzuctions from G n Lee are that there sh:
to lie 10 more artillery duels. 1ns!ead, ther
IL fore, Of endeavoriug to silence the enemy
I'd | guns, Col. Walton directs his artillery to I
i, ceiye the fire Of their antagonists quietly. 81
es delivered their own against the federal ints
be try. The wisdom Of the order is apparent
~ every shot, for with the overwhelming nu'
y. oess of the enemy, they might have deieat
ne ne Al the outset, but for the powerful q.
nd heavy guns.
BY Time and again did the fedcrs1s persev
se- 1nRly press close up to our ranks, so ne IT,
o1 oeeo, Iaat tneir supporting batteries vi
1e- their own men; but Just rs ofian var +h
ug driven back BY the combined eIements of
ID stfuction which we brought to besr m
de- them. It was an hour when everv man = :
{c- wanted. The sharpshootets of the enc
It, were picking off our principal officers G
re- | tinua1ly, and especially those who made TIL
selves conspicuous In the batteries Iu /
manner the company Of Capt Miller. of
i. Washington artillery, was nearly dissb'
:ate only two out Of his four guns being Fl
for manned.
nm THE FIGHT on THE RIGHT.
is 1t WIS now about 5 o'clock In the nj
No. neon, but notwithstanding the strange
be renewed before night Intelligence
come from the rear that Gen. a. P. Hill
of advancing from Hazper's Ferry with the II
tied | which jackson had left behind, and every
'ub- was turned an1iously In that direction
Dis | lHue while ne fAW some Of his troops m D
cautiously, under cover Of the woods