vens, Twenty-sixth Pennsylvania Battery, and ordered him to change
front to the left and open fire; then to Captain Standart, and directed
him to move to the left with his guns, and he took position covering the
ford. I found that Captain Bradley had anticipated my wishes, and had
changed front to fire to the left, and opened upon the enemy. This battery
was near the railroad. Lieutenant Livingston crossed the river and opened
fire again. During this terrible encounter, of little more than an hour in
duration, forty-three pieces belonging to the left wing; the 'Board of
Trade' Battery, and nine guns from General Negley's division--fifty-eight
pieces of artillery--played upon the enemy." The effect of the storm of
iron that swept the front of these batteries is indescribable. It tore
through the mass of men as they swarmed down the slope, mowing down scores
at each discharge. Not less than one hundred shots per minute were fired
with unerring aim. Branches of trees, lopped off by cannon balls,
pinioned men to the earth. For a few minutes they held their ground; then
a wild terror seized upon them and bore them away. General Hanson fell
among the first. His brigade lost over 400 in killed and wounded; the loss
in the division was 1,400. There was no thought now of attacking Grose;
there was but one thought paramount in the hearts of all, and that was to
get to a place of safety. They no sooner turned than Beatty's men were
upon them, pouring in volley after volley upon the retreating enemy.
Hazen's Brigade crossed further down the stream; Jeff C. Davis on his
left, Miller and Morton at the ford, and moving rapidly forward the line
swept up the slope. The artillery fire ceased, and the minnie rifles,
taking up the refrain continued it until darkness closed the scene. Three
guns of Wright's Battery, abandoned by Breckinridge, to whose division it
belonged, stood upon the crest of the hill. The horses, killed by the
tempest of iron that had fallen here, lay heaped together; the gunners,
mangled by exploded shells, dotted the ground around the battery. As the
Union line pressed forward on each side a boy clad in Confederate gray
(Private Wright), mounted upon one of the guns, stood guard over the
wreck. Swinging a hatchet above his head he shouted: "The first Yankee
that touches one of these guns dies." Saluting him with a rousing cheer
the line pressed on, leaving this second Cassabianca master of the
situation.

Although the