eath. The storm continued nearly all night
swelling the little streams that ran through the battlefield, causing
the roads to become almost impassable. The stragglers were collected and
returned to their commands.

"At 4 o'clock the crack of musketry was heard, and soon after the
artillery from our lines opened and we were upon the rebels. They were
taken by surprise and thrown into confusion. The hurrying of officers
from one part of the field to another was distinctly heard by our men
and greatly encouraged our forces. On they moved, driving the enemy
pell-mell from our former camp. It was impossible, under our galling
fire, for the enemy to form in any compact line. They fell back as our
troops advanced. We struck them in front, on the flank, and, as they
sometimes turned in their retreat, in the rear. The slaughter for a
time was terrible and sickening. They were at last driven into the woods
where they had formed the day before. Here a lull came in the contest,
and they took advantage of it to form their line again, believing that
our advantage could only be temporary, having no knowledge of the number
of our re-enforcements. When they were in a condition to do so they
advanced and took the aggressive. On they came. Our line stood as
immovable as a rock, received the shock of their first assault, and
then poured the missiles of death into their ranks as if they were being
rained down from the heavens. For a time the lines both advanced slowly
and dealt death into each other. The commands from each army could be
distinctly heard by the other. Harrington on the rebel side was heard to
say:

"'Charge the Lincoln hell-hounds! Give the cowardly dogs the bayonet!'

"This gave our troops that heard it a contempt for the man, and a
determination to receive the charge in a soldierly manner. They stood
silent until the enemy was within close musket range, and at the
order--the batteries having come up--everything opened and poured volley
after volley into the advancing columns, which swayed and halted;
no power could press them forward. Our forces seeing this, advanced
steadily, firing as they moved. At last the rebel line gave way and fled
to the woods on their left, taking shelter among the trees. The ground
between the lines was now literally covered with the killed and wounded.
On our extreme left the battle was still raging, and seemed to be going
to our rear. Gen. Silent rode away to this part of the field. Finding