respectively by Captains Campbell and Welborn, Eighteenth Mississippi Regiment; Captain Duff, Seventeenth Mississippi Regiment; Captain Fletcher, Thirteenth Mississippi Regiment and one other captain, whose name I do not remember; numbering in all about 320 men. .

Captain Campbell was ordered to deploy one of his companies, Captain Welborn's, as skirmishers, and to feel the enemy's position. The other companies were directed to advance in the following order: Captain Campbell on the right, Captain Duff on the extreme left, Captain Fletcher and the cavalry on the center. Captain William B. Ball was placed in command of the cavalry.

Upon a nearer approach to the enemy it was found to be impossible to charge with cavalry owing to a high and strong fence between the enemy and my command. I therefore ordered Captain Ball, at his request, to dismount his company and fight on foot. The attack was then made, and a brisk fire kept up through the fence. Finding the enemy was not disposed to fall back, I ordered a charge over the fence, which order was promptly obeyed, and so soon as a portion of the fence could be torn down I leaped my horse over, followed by Captain Ball, Lieutenant Woolridge, Lieutenant Clarke, and Lieutenant Weisiger,of Captain Ball's cavalry, and Lieutenant Baxter, Loudoun Cavalry, and Mr. R. L. Hendrick of Mecklenburg, Va., who kindly volunteered his services. The enemy was soon driven from his first position, but a heavy fire was kept up from the thick woods to which he had retreated. Fearing my small command would be led into an ambuscade, I ordered it to fall back and take position in rear of the fence it had just passed, and sent to you for re-enforcements.

Some twenty or thirty minutes elapsing before re-enforcements came, I had time to gather up the enemy's wounded and 2 prisoners, including 1 captain, and send them to Leesburg.

In this charge on the enemy I would respectfully call the attention of the general commanding to the officers who were with me. Captain Ball deserves particular notice for his coolness whilst carrying orders under a heavy fire, as well as for his words of encouragement to his own men and the infantry. Captain Campbell and the officers of the infantry companies also deserve much praise for their coolness in the charge. Lieutenants Wooldridge, Clarke, and Weisiger, Messrs. Hendrick and Peters, civilians, were among the first in the fight, and did good service. Lieutenant Weisiger,my acting adjutant, had his horse shot in the head whilst obeying an order just before the engagement commenced. These officers I particularly mention, having witnessed their individual coolness and courage.

At 12 o'clock you sent the Eighth Virginia Regiment, commanded by Colonel Eppa Hunton, to my support, and it was reported to me that you would send artillery but none came. I again advanced upon the enemy in the following order; Captains Campbell's, Welborn's, and Fletcher's companies in front, with skirmishers in advance and on their right. These companies were supported by the Eighth Virginia Regiment. Owing to thick woods and roughness of ground they were lost sight of for a few minutes, and the Eighth Virginia Regiment took its position in front, with the four companies first named on its right. Captain Duff's company advanced on the left, throwing out skirmishers, supported by Captain Ball's cavalry, dismounted. After marching several hundred yards through dense woods our troops were fired upon by the enemy's skirmishers, who were concealed behind trees and in deep ravines. At the same time a constant fire was kept up by artillery, which had previously been landed on this side of the river, throwing

24 R R-VOL V