000 men and thirty
pieces of artillery.

The field, destined to be for battle, was a beautiful, level farm one
and a half miles long, and one half a mile wide, enclosed by the
Shenandoah closely hugging the north-west side, and a ridge of high
hills on the south-east side. The bridge was at the west end, and the
Federal troops at the east end of the open field. At 6-1/2 A. M. of the
9th of June, 1862, the Union soldiers were startled by heavy volleys of
musketry upon Robinson's battery, stationed on a knoll at the south-east
corner of the farm. Sections of Clark's and Huntington's batteries were
moved down to the middle of the field. The 7th and 5th Ohio were sent on
double-quick to support them. They arrived just in time to save them
from a brigade of the enemy who were charging up with fixed bayonets.
The heavy volleys of musketry and double charges of grape checked the
rebels, and they fell back behind a rail fence. A severe fire was
continued half an hour. It was here that a shell passed through the body
of R. J. Kingsbury, and severely mangled the thigh of Atwater.

It was at this point that C. P. Hamilton and D. S. Judson were mortally
wounded. The hissing of bullets and shrieking of shells were frightful.
Not less than twenty pieces of artillery, standing in the form of a
semicircle, were ranged on these two fated regiments. This was one of
those fine opportunities for coolly meeting an enemy in an open field,
which school boys fancy they would like to enjoy.

Soon the rebels fell back in confusion, and with deafening shouts these
two regiments pushed after them. As they passed the fence where the
enemy had lain, there could be seen a long line of dead, dying and
wounded men. One was getting a bullet out of his foot, another was
rubbing his shin, a third was rolling and groaning, and thus scores were
passing their time. Eighty rods farther and another rebel brigade rose
up in line. These were soon put to flight. It was far out in front at
this point that the noble Gates fell. A quiver of the muscles, a setting
of the eye in the socket, and all was over with him. None that knew him
doubted that from the thick smoke of battle he had gone up to be crowned
with everlasting peace.

[Sidenote: Retreat from Port Republic.]

A few moments later, Corporal Magary received his final discharge. The
eager enthusiasm of the men had thrown them into utter confusion. The
loud ring of Colonel Creighton's voice to "fall in,