which time
the enemy advanced up the hollow through the brush, along the main
road, when Colonel Vandever, who had arrived, ordered forward the
infantry. A desperate conflict with small arms ensued. Back rolled the
tide of battle, the enemy being driven to the foot of the hill, when
he reopened the batteries. Our men fought like heroes; many fell
covered with wounds. The latter, when brought to the rear by their
comrades, encouraged those who were still breasting the fierce
cannonade, by hurrahing for the Union.

Colonel Vandever, in leading forward his brigade, had his horse hit
twice, and Colonel Phelps, in the van of his own Regiment, had three
horses shot under him. Major Geiger, of the same Regiment, and Captain
Hayden, of the Dubuque Battery, had two horses shot under them. Major
Coyle, of the Ninth Iowa, was wounded in the leg.

Colonel Dodge having discovered that the enemy were preparing for a
general attack, changed his front to the right, covering his men with
a log fence, thus compelling the enemy to cross an open field to reach
him. Our line was formed and we opened fire with one section of a
battery, the other pieces having left the field for want of
ammunition. The enemy advanced on our right, left, and center, under
cover of a destructive fire, poured in on our works under twelve
pieces of artillery. The fighting now lasted over two hours, during
which time we held our position; only one Brigade contending against
at least six thousand rebel infantry and a heavy bombardment from
their artillery, the latter playing upon us at short range. Our men
fought like heroes without wincing under the galling fire belching
forth from behind trees and rocks, and much of the time from a
concealed foe. At one time we were reinforced by three rifled pieces
from a German battery, which fired four rounds, and then was compelled
to withdraw from the field, being flanked by a Regiment of the enemy.

Colonel Dodge, in order to discover the position of the enemy on his
right, directed his firing to cease, when a thousand rebel plush caps
and black broad brims popped up into view from the bushes, and,
forming, they advanced with great confidence to within one hundred
feet of our line. Our men were then ordered to pour in a fire on the
dastardly enemy, taking good aim. They were thrown