He then moved southward until he struck an unfrequented
road which leads over the mountain _via_ Wolfe's Tavern. By this turn he
avoided immediate contact with our cavalry. But about five o'clock
P. M., as he was about to debouch into the valley, Kilpatrick, who was
watching for him as a cat does a mouse, attacked him with artillery and
fought him till dark. This fight occurred near Smithburg, whence the
prisoners in Kilpatrick's hands were sent to South Mountain, guarded by
the Harris Light.

Darkness having put an end to the contest, Kilpatrick marched through
Cavetown to Boonsboro', where he bivouacked for the night. Stuart, it
was ascertained, marched till about midnight to the small town of
Leitersburgh, where he rested his worn and wearied command. His
condition was really pitiable. A large number of his men were mounted on
shoeless horses, whose leanness showed that they had made many a long
march through and from Virginia. Or, as was the case with a large
proportion of them, they had fat horses, which were stolen from the
fields and stalls of the invaded States, but, being entirely unused to
such hard and cruel treatment as they were now receiving, were well-nigh
unserviceable. Lameness and demoralization were prominent
characteristics among animals and men.

_July 6._--This morning, at an early hour, Kilpatrick's crowd of
prisoners were turned over into the hands of General French, and then
his command marched to Hagerstown, taking possession of the place in
advance of Stuart, whose approach about eleven o'clock was met with
determined resistance, and, at first, with great success. A heavy battle
was fought, in which Kilpatrick's men showed their usual prowess and
strength. Had not Rebel infantry come to the aid of his cavalry, Stuart
would have suffered a stunning blow. For several hours the contest was
wholly between cavalry and light artillery. Charges of great daring and
skill were made. One reporter says: "Elder gave them grape and canister,
and the Fifth New York sabres, while the First Vermont used their
carbines."

In one of those charges, made in the face of a very superior force,
Captain James A. Penfield, of the Fifth New York, at the head of his
company, had his horse killed under him, and, while struggling to
extricate himself from the animal, which lay upon him in part, he was
struck a fearful blow of a sabre on the head, which came near severing
it in twain. Thus wounded, with blood streaming