portion of our left wing, pouring out canister and shell in large volumes, but fortunately on account of the protecting afforded by the woods, with little execution. Simultaneously with this movement towards out left another column of infantry ascended the wooded hill before our right wing at the point designated upon the map by the capital letter B.* Having become at its head involved in a slight skirmish with one of our picket guards, it was immediately and strongly re-enforced. Subsequently to the repulse of the column from our left flank it proceeded int he same general direction, ascending the hill at the point designated by the letter C,* and swelling the force, which now began to threaten seriously our front right, to some 4,000 men. They moved along the side of the hill, opening upon our lines a desultory fire of rifles musketry, which was continued until the close of the action. So soon as the designs of this column were fully developed I ordered the Twelfth Georgia Regiment to take position near the stream, where a small detachment of it, under Lieutenant Dawson, had already been posted, with instructions to engage the enemy whenever he should attempt to cross it.

From the fact that this movement was made in full face of largely-superior numbers, armed with a superior weapon, and protected by cover of the forest, it was made with an alacrity and a regularity which deserve high commendation, as does the cool determination with which this command, protecting itself as best it might against enemy's fire, received it, but returned scare a shot. Not long thereafter I ordered Captain Shumaker to open upon the same column, directing his fire to where he supposed the head of it to be. This he promptly did with two of his pieces, and so effectively, that in a short time the unmistakable evidence of their rout became apparent. Distinctly could their officers be heard, with words of mingled command, remonstrance, and entreaty, attempting to rally their battalions into line and to bring them to the charge; but they could not be induced to reform their broken ranks nor to marge from the cover of the woods in the direction of our fire. Rapidly and in disorder they returned into the turnpike, and soon thereafter the entire force of the enemy-artillery, infantry, and cavalry-retreated in confusion along the road and adjacent fields, leaving behind them at different points numbers of their killed, guns, knapsack, canteens, &c. Among other trophies taken were a stand of United States colors, which are held subject to the order of the commanding general.

This engagement lasted from 7 in the morning to 2.30 o'clock in the afternoon, at which time the enemy, who had come with artillery to bombard and demoralize us, with infantry to storm our camp, with cavalry to rout and destroy us, and with four days' cooked rations in his haversacks to prosecute a rapid march either toward Staunton or toward Huntersville, was in precipitate retreat back to his Cheat Mountain fastness; and it is certainly a matter not unworthy of mention that while his first insolent advances were received with defiant cheers, running from one end to the other of our line, he was permitted to take his departure under the simple reports of our pieces firing upon him so long as he continued within their range. The relative weakness of our force and the entire absence of cavalry prevented our pursuing him, and thereby realizing the legitimate fruits of our triumph.

His loss in killed and wounded is estimated at from 250 to 300, among them an officer of superior rank. Our own, I am happy to say, was very inconsiderable, not exceeding 50 in all. This most gratifying

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* Not indicated on original sketch.

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