e
fire; the ball, passing between the man's legs, hit the cup; the fires
were put out directly after that.

August 30. Everything remained quiet until the middle of the afternoon,
then the Confederates began an advance on the left. There were a few
troops there to face them, but not many. There seemed to be no head to,
and no order in our forces, and the Johnnies with their long lines of
battle well massed, moved forward with but slight opposition. As they
advanced they threatened our position and we fell back to another hill
farther in the rear. Toward dusk we moved off to the left in double quick
time. We stopped and left our knapsacks in a little grove as we went
along. We knew then there was business ahead, but we were ready for it as
long as General Reno was with us, for we had entire confidence in him. He
had hardly been out of our sight these last two days. We came on to a main
road, followed it along a short distance, crossed a bridge over a small
stream, moved to the left up on to a low hill and formed a line of battle;
we were told to hold that bridge.

As we moved to our positions we were exposed to the enemy's artillery and
lost a few men, but we were undisturbed.

General McDowell, that picturesque figure with the great mass of
snow-white hair, and General Milroy, were on the hill when we arrived, and
seemed delighted with the appearance of the brigade and its timely
arrival. Two batteries of artillery were immediately brought up and put in
position by General Reno. We had not long to wait. Sharp picket firing
soon gave notice that our skirmish line was attacked and was falling back,
and we heard troops forming down in the wood in front of us; and soon on
they came to the attack. Twice during the evening they charged up that
hill, the first time a single line of battle, the second time two lines of
battle deep, and each time they were repulsed with great loss. They hardly
fired a gun, and we did not open fire until they were within three or four
rods of us. Then we gave it to them in good earnest, the artillery with
double charges of canister. We almost swept them from the hill. They went
down in dozens, and retreated a broken and disorganized mass.

Late in the evening the Johnnies made an attack on the left flank of the
51st New York that was on our left. We changed position and assisted the
51st in repulsing the attack.

Later, the Confederates advanced a skirmish line to see if we were still
there.