enemy's entrenchments. Just at daylight the sharp
sound of their skirmishers was heard. They had concluded to move out on
our right and attack us on our flank, and open the way for the escape
of their army. On they came. Our line was soon formed and our musketry
opened. During the night one of our batteries had been brought up and
given position on a slight elevation to the right of Col. Anderson's
centre. The enemy opened furiously on our line, and in a few minutes our
battery was knocked to pieces and was charged by infantry. Here there
was a bloody conflict; men fell by the score; the snow was reddened
by the blood of both patriots and traitors. The smoke seemed to hover
around the trees and underbrush, as if to conceal the contending forces
from each other. The flame of musketry and the red glare of the cannons
lighted up the scene with a lurid tint. Limbs fell from the trees,
and the ground was mown as smoothly of weeds and underbrush as if by
a scythe. Our right was under orders to hold their position at all
hazards. The battle, dreadful and bloody, continued. By degrees the
troops on the right of Col. Anderson gave way and abandoned the field.
At noon but one regiment besides Col. Anderson's withstood the enemy on
the right of our line. They were terribly cut up, and having no food,
were nearly exhausted. Their ammunition was growing scarce, none having
been brought up to this point for their supply. In this condition
they stood like a wall, under the most galling fire of artillery and
musketry, their comrades falling like grass before the sickle. At
length the enemy's cavalry appeared in the rear; not in line, but as if
observing the battle with a view of taking advantage at the proper time
of any mishap that might occur in our lines. Col. Anderson seeing this,
and feeling that his command was now in great peril, conceived the idea
of a bayonet charge on the line to his front, and so ordered it.

[Illustration: Col. Anderson Wounded 059]

"His line moved forward, in a double-quick, and with a shout drove the
enemy, who was stampeded by the impetuous assault. The Colonel, being
on foot, led his men right up to the works, the enemy having been driven
inside. As he leaped forward to them, with sword in hand, calling to
his men, 'Come on, my boys,' he fell, as they then thought, mortally
wounded. The enemy seeing this made a fresh assault, and drove our
force back. Col. Anderson was left on the field supposed to be