here_." The greater part of Gillem's column and his artillery escaped
here, but one regiment was cut off and driven away to the right. Moving
very rapidly, my brigade managed to strike the main body again at
Cheek's Cross Roads, about two miles from the town, and drove another
slice from the road and into the fields and woods. While the column was
scattered and prolonged by the rapid chase, we came suddenly upon the
enemy halted in the edge of a wood, and were received with a smart fire,
which checked us. Captain Gus Magee, one of the best and most dashing
officers of the brigade, commanding the advance guard, charged in among
them. As, followed by a few men, he leaped the fence behind which the
enemy were posted, he was shot from his horse. He surrendered, and gave
his name, and was immediately shot and sabered. He lived a short time in
great agony. One of his men, Sergeant Sam Curd, avenged his death that
night. Curd saved himself when Magee was killed, by slipping into the
Federal line, and in the darkness, he escaped unnoticed. Some twenty
minutes afterward, the murderer of Magee was captured, and Curd,
recognizing his voice, asked him if he were not the man. He at once
sprang upon Curd, and tried to disarm him. The latter broke loose from
his grasp and killed him. Vaughan, after we moved on, kept the road, and
I moved upon the left flank, endeavoring to gain the enemy's rear, and
intercept his retreat. Colonel Napier, who kept in the advance with a
small detachment, succeeded in this object.

Three or four miles from Morristown, the enemy halted, and, for half an
hour, offered resistance. We, who were moving to take them in flank and
rear, then saw a beautiful sight. The night was cloudless, and the moon
at its full and shedding a brilliant light. The dark lines of troops
could be seen almost as clearly as by day. Their positions were
distinctly marked, however, by the flashes from the rifles, coming thick
and fast, making them look, as they moved along, bending and
oscillating, like rolling waves of flame, throwing off fiery spray. When
my brigade had moved far around upon the left, and had taken position,
obliquing toward the enemy's rear, it suddenly opened. The Federal line
recoiled, and closed from both flanks toward the road, in one dense
mass, which looked before the fighting ceased and the rout fairly
commenced, like a huge Catherine wheel spouting streams of fire.

The enemy retreated rapidly and in confus