[CHAP. XLI.

to have the men cook their breakfast. My instructions were to hold this point against any attack of the enemy from the direction of Warrenton, until the rest of the corps, with the artillery and wagons, had got by on the road to Catlett's Station.

The Third Division, which followed me, had just commenced crossing the run, and my men were busily engaged in making coffee, when the enemy suddenly opened a battery from a hill about 800 yards in our rear, upon my masses. I immediately sent a staff officer to each of my brigades with orders to conduct the troops rapidly around the hill under cover; at the same time I directed Captain Ricketts to change front and fire rapidly on the battery of the enemy. Notwithstanding the unexpectedness of the fire in the rear, and their unprepared state, the men showed but little confusion, and kept their ranks while moving around the hill, the conscription moving nearly as steadily as old soldiers.

After a few minutes' fire, Captain Ricketts succeeded in silencing the enemy's battery, and the advance of General Hays drove them away.

I again changed front, and faced toward Warrenton. There had been skirmishing since daylight to our left and front, and we saw skirmishers coming in across the field. I then ordered the Fifty-seventh New York Volunteers, Third Brigade, to report to Colonel Brooke, and directed him to cover my front. He deployed the Fifty-third Pennsylvania Volunteers, the Second Delaware Volunteers, and the Fifty-seventh New York Volunteers as skirmishers, and kept the One hundred and forty-fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers and the Sixty-fourth New York Volunteers as support. The enemy now opened on our left and front upon the battery of Captain Arnold, which had replaced that of Captain Ricketts. Their fire was at first from one battery, which was afterward increased by the fire of two batteries farther to the left. The enemy's fire was very accurate, but owing to the excellent cover for both artillery and infantry, no harm was done to the former, and but 1 or 2 men of the latter were wounded. As the enemy were evidently advancing, by direction of General Warren I sent the Irish Brigade to the support of Colonel Carroll's brigade, which was in position on a crest across Cedar Run. On moving across the run in the morning, I had left my picket in position, under the able command of Colonel Beaver, of the One hundred and forty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers. They now covered the front of Colonel Carroll.

The cavalry division of General Gregg was drawn across the Run about 8 o'clock. My instructions from General Warren were to remain in position until my line was relieved by the cavalry, and Arnold's battery replaced by a section of horse artillery. The section was very slow in coming it having, through some mistake, taken the road to Catlett's Station. The other two divisions, with the artillery, had all now passed by, and I had sent the Irish Brigade, with Captain Ames' battery, to take position on a crest in the rear beside the road. The section of horse artillery had now arrived, and I withdrew the division, detailing Colonel Brooke, with a section of artillery, to act as rear guard. Colonel Brooke withdrew his brigade, the enemy pressing his skirmishers very closely. The cavalry, which was to have covered his rear, preceded his skirmishers, and when he had got a quarter of a mile from his first position he was vigorously attacked on the right and rear, the enemy succeeding in throwing a column of infantry across the road and cutting off