onfronting us. After feeling the line, commencing on our left, the
enemy apparently became impressed, with the belief that the proper
point to attack was upon our right, and he accordingly made heavy rushes
in rapid succession upon my position. I had but two hundred and twenty
men, and was reinforced at midday by Colonel Wycher with fifty of his
battalion.

The line we were required to hold was at least half a mile long, and I
say without hesitation, that troops never fought more resolutely and
bravely than did those I commanded on that day. The men were formed in a
single slim skirmish line, with intervals of five or six feet between
the files, and yet the enemy could not break the line or force them
away. We were forced to receive attack where the enemy chose to make it,
not daring, with our limited number and the important responsibility of
holding our position, to attack in turn. Had the position been taken,
the ford would have fallen into the possession of the enemy, and he
would have been master of the entire field. The fire which met the
advancing Federals at every effort which they made was the most deadly I
ever saw. Our ammunition gave out three times, but, fortunately, we were
enabled to replenish it during the lulls in the fighting. The
sharpshooting upon both sides, in the intervals of attack, was
excellent. Charlie Taylor, the best shot in my brigade, and one of the
bravest soldiers, killed a man at almost every shot. I would gladly
mention the names of those who deserved distinguished honor for their
conduct, but it would require me, to do so, to give the name of every
officer and private in the brigade.

About three o'clock, Colonel Napier, who was commanding upon the extreme
left, advanced, and, sweeping down the line, drove back a body of the
enemy immediately confronting his own little battalion, and struck the
flank of another moving to attack the right of the position. But coming
suddenly upon a miscegenated line of white and colored troops, which
rose suddenly from ambush and fired into the faces of his men, his line
fell back. The combatants fought here, for a while, with clubbed guns,
and the negroes, who seemed furious with fear, used theirs as they
would mauls. One unusually big and black darkey seemed to be much
surprised, when first stumbled upon, and exclaiming "Dar dey is!" almost
let his eyes pop out of their sockets. Soon after this, the most serious
charge of the day was made upon the r