destruction of the Federal army
would probably have been complete; but by one of those unfortunate
accidents which so frequently occur in war and upset the best laid
plans, the order in some way never came to hand, and when late in the
day the error was discovered, it was too late to remedy it.

At eight o'clock in the morning two of the Federal divisions reached the
river, and while one of them engaged the Confederate force stationed at
the bridge, another crossed the river at a ford. Colonel Evans, who
commanded the Confederate forces, which numbered but fifteen companies,
left 200 men to continue to hold the bridge, while with 800 he hurried
to oppose General Hunter's division, which had crossed at the ford.

This consisted of 16,000 infantry, with cavalry and artillery, and
another division of equal force had crossed at the Red House Ford,
higher up. To check so great a force with this handful of men seemed all
but impossible; but Colonel Evans determined to hold his ground to the
last, to enable his general to bring up re-enforcements. His force
consisted of men of South Carolina and Louisiana, and they contested
every foot of the ground.

The regiment which formed the advance of the Federals charged, supported
by an artillery fire, but was repulsed. As the heavy Federal line
advanced, however, the Confederates were slowly but steadily pressed
back, until General Bee, with four regiments and a battery of artillery,
came up to their assistance. The newcomers threw themselves into the
fight with great gallantry, and maintained their ground until almost
annihilated by the fire of the enemy, who outnumbered them by five to
one. As, fighting desperately, they fell back before Hunter's division,
the Federals, who had crossed at Red House Ford, suddenly poured down
and took them in flank.

Swept by a terrible musketry fire, these troops could no longer resist,
and in spite of the efforts of their general, who rode among them
imploring them to stand firm until aid arrived, they began to fall back.
Neither entreaties nor commands were of avail; the troops had done all
that they could, and broken and disheartened they retreated in great
confusion. But at this moment, when all seemed lost, a line of
glittering bayonets was seen coming over the hill behind, and the
general, riding off in haste toward them, found Jackson advancing with
the first brigade.

Unmoved by the rush of the fugitives of the brigades of Bee and Eva