Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1904-09-30
he fought magnificently and is wound


ed.
Tyler's forces thus moved forwar
for half a mile describing quite on
fourth of a circle on the right unit
they met division of the enemy an
of course battery of the enemy's mos
approved pattern.
THE HEAT OF THE CONTEST.
4 1t was noon and now the battle ii
the fierceness of it's most extended fury
The batteries on the distant hill begal
to play npon our own and upon ou
advancing troops with hot and thun
derous effects. Carlisle answered fol
US and Sherman for Hunters division
while the great 80 FOUNDER addressed
itself resistlessly to the alternate de
fences of the foe. The noise of the
cannonading was deafening and con-
tinuous. Conversely to the circum-
stance of the former engagement, 1t
completely drowned at this period the
vOlleys of the musketry and rifemen.
1t blanched the cheeks of the villagers
at Centerville, to the main street of
which place some Of the enemy's rified
shell were thrown. 1t was heard at
Fairfax, at Alexandria, at Washing
ton itself. Five or six heavy batteries
We're in operation at once and to their
clam0r was added the lesser roll OF
twenty thousand small arms. What
could we civilians see of the fight at
this tlmeY Little, yet perhaps more
than any who were engaged in it.
How anxiously we strained our eyes
to catch the various movements,
thoughtless of everything but the spec
tacle and the successes or reverses of
the Federal army. Our infantry were
engaged in woods and meadows be-
yond our view. We knew not the ma
ture or position of the force they we're
fighting. But now and then there
would be fierce rush into the open
prospect. gallant charge on one side
and aretreat on the other, and we saw
plainly that our columns were gaining |
ground and steady pursuing their ad-
vantage by their gradual movement |
which continued towards the distance
ind the enemy's center.
We indeed heard continuous tidings |
Of heroism and victory, and those in
,he trees above us told us of more
than we could discover with our field
glasses from below. We heard that
Hunter had fairly rounded the enc
ny's flank, and then we listened for
ourselves to the sound of his charges
n the northern woods and saw for
ourselves the air gathering up smoke
rom their branches and the wavering
column of the Mississippians as they
led from their first battery and were
orced into the open field. Then We
Jaw our own Sixty-ninth and Seventy
ninth, corps animated by chivalrous
rational rivalry, press on to the sup
,ort.of the more distant column. We
;ould catch glimpses of the continual
advances and retreats; could hear oc
the guns of battery undis.
covered; could guess how terribly all
his accumulation of death upon death
must tell upon those undaunted men,
)ut could also see-and our cheers con-
inually followed the knowledge-that
'ur forces were gradually driving the
light of the enemy around the second
Iuarter of a circle, until by l CLOCK
he main battle was raging at point
.lmost directly opposite our standing
lace-the road at the edge of the
it had commenced six
ours before.
There was hill at the distance of a
nile and half to which l have here
ofore alluded. From it's height over
)oking the whole plain, a few shell had
cached us early in the day and as it
vas nearer the Manassas road than al
aost any other portion of the field.
nore of the enemy's reinforcements
about it's ridge than to the
i'd of the beaten rebels in the woods
nd valleys. Here there was an open
artery and long lines of infantry in
uppOrt ready, for a wonder, to let
ur wearied fellows see the fresh forces
hey had to conquer.
To be continued next week.