Year: 1870

close at hand, and the pattering musket


" along the picket lines quickly addec


a sharp and lively accompaniment tC


the deeper-voiced artillery. As the sur


rose it cast a scorching glare over the


landscape Parched with the prolonged
August heat, wasted with the sweep OF


armies and now to be made historic.
Fall in, boys We must whip them


before breakfast :" cried Milroy, as he


galloped among his regiments thorough


ly aroused by the firing and already


busy with preparations fof the approach
! ing conflict. The firing grew in volume


as daylight frightened and the batteries


obtained more accurate range and more


advantageous positions. The division


of Carl Schurz formed the right Of


Sigel's line, that of Schenek the left and


NiilrOy's Independent Brigade the cen


ter. With this formation the Corps ad-


vanced at FIVE o'clock from its position


about one mile east of Groveton. Jack


son steadily though obstinately retired


as If desiring to continue his retreat,


which nothing but vigorous assault by
SigeI could now prevent him from doing.
Our line moved slowly and cautiously,


as the inferiority of our force required,
and gained ground mainly by vigorous


pounding with the batteries, with some
infantry fighting. By half past ten
o'clock AIilroy and Schurz had advanced
mile and SchenclZ, on the left, some
what farther. Jackson had by this time
found it necessary to pause and defend
himself with his whole force and had
taken position with his left resting on
Catharpin Creek, near Sudley Springs,
his right a little south of the Warrenton
turnpike, and his line covered by the
embankment of an unfinished railroad
extending from Gainesville in the direc-
ton of Leesburg. His batteries, of
which he had some of heavy calibre. |
were on the high open ground on both |
sides of the Warrenton turnpike, with |
which his line formed an acute angle. The !
mass of Jackson's troops were sheltered |
and concealed by dense woods which |
effectually screened from view and from |
the fire of our cannon a great part of |
their line, while the railroad grade al |
ready mentioned afforded them an ex-
cellent parapet,


Strong in his position and as yet great
ly superior in numbers, the enemy now /
ventured to assume the offensive and as
sailed our right, but in this was firmly /
resisted. Schenck. who had gained an
advanced position on high open ground
On the left, was now ordered to strike |
our assailants in flank and rear, but be-
coming briskly engaged soon found his
own flank threatened. At this juncture
Kearney's Division, which, as we have
seen, had been ordered to push forward
from Centreville at dawn, arrived on our
right by the Sudley Springs road, and
Reno advancing along the Warrenton
turnpike re-enforced our centre. These
arrivals diverted the enemy from any
farther demonstrations against Schenck,
who might otherwise have been out
hanked and forced to abandon his posi-
ton.


Meanwhile Milroy, always impetuous
and daring, and under fire careless of
the restraint Of orders or of cool discre-
ton, had dashed forward with his bri-
gade and led it in an unsupported at
tack upon the enemy. Advancing from
his place in the line he moved over open
fields and entered thick piece of woods
about half mile beyond the historic
''stone house" situated near the War
renton turnpike. A few hundred yards
beyond the edge of the woods was the
railroad embankment behind which
strong rebel forces were lodged, and
within fifty yards of which Milroy was
permitted to approach without resistance.
The enemy perfectly aware of his com
ing kept carefully out of sight until
concerted moment when. mounting their
parapet, the rebels feigned surrender.
Disconnected for an instant by such an
unlocked for demonstration our troops
withheld their fire, of which circum
stance the rebels took advantage immedi-
ateIy and poured a tremendous volley
upon our regiments. Though this fire
decimated our ranks it was returned
with vigor, and Nilroy Immediately
CHARGED the embankment, which he
would have carried but for a strong at
tack simultaneously made upon his right
flank and rear by hitherto unseen forces.
Some of our men were killed on the es-
carpment, so promptly and eagerly had
they pressed upon the foe, but the as
sault made upon their right compelled a
withdrawal of the charge and a change
of front to meet the new assailants.
This exposed our flank to ral1ing fire
which somewhat disorganized our troops, I
and while trying to rally his men and re-
form them on new line Colonel Can't
well, of the S2d Ohio Infantry, received |
a shot in the head which killed him in
stantIy. His horse, from which he fell, /
galloped to the rear and his body was /
carried from the field by soldiers of his |
regiment. 1t being no longer possible |
to make an offensive movement against /
numbers so overwhelming or to hold so /
advanced a position Milroy now with |
drew his brigade, the enemy vigorously |
following Some distance to the rear
our men reformed their line and for a |
time made stand, but being again be-
set by force too strong for them fell
back upon the main body.


Milroy's brigade was badly cut up in
this affair, losing several hundred in
killed and wounded. Col. Cantwell of
the Sad. who bravely fell at the head of
his command, was the soul of gaIIantry
and one of the best officers in the corps.
Lieutenant Harvey M. Litzenberg,* of
Company /, same regiment, was also
killed, and being carried to the rear was
buried with Colonel Cantwell by his
comrades. Several other commissioned
officers were killed or wounded, together
with a large number of enlisted men.
At noon General Pope arrived on the
field from Centreville and about the
same time General Reynolds with the
Pennsylvania Reserves came into posi-


ton on our extreme left. Attwo O. clock
| General Hooker with the remaining Di-
| vision of Heintzelman' Corps re-en-


forced our right, relieving the exhausted
! troops of Schurz and Milroy. All our
/ forces had now arrived excepting the


two heavy corps of Porter and McDow-
! ell which, we have seen, had been or


dered to move direct from Manassas to
Gainesville and were now expected every


moment to fall upon the right flank and


rear of the enemy. At two o'clock sew


eral pieces of artillery were discharged


on the extreme right of the enemy's line,
from which circumstance General Pope
supposed that Porter and Mcdowell had


arrived in position, but he was shortly


afterward undeceived by information
~ II ~