vista, where it crossed them and went perpendicularly down the vista to the enemy's position; thence it bore to the left or north, and, crossing a ravine, came upon on the plateau in front of Chancellorsville, at the south end of the enemy's line of artillery breastworks. Road No. 2 left the Plank road a half mile behind our lines, and ran into road No. 1 at the head of the vista.

At dawn I posted seventeen guns as follows: Captain E. A. Marye, of Walker's battalion, with two Napoleons and two rifles, in the Plank road where it was crossed by our advanced lines of infantry; Captain [E. B.] Brunson, of Walker's battalion, with four rifles, also in the Plank road a short distance in rear of Captain Marye, to fire over his head and to his right and left over our infantry (in no other way could sufficient fire be thrown down the Plank road); Captain [R. C. M.] Page, of Carter's battalion, with three Napoleons, was placed in thin woods on road No. 1, 300 yards south of Plank road, to fire upon their infantry lines until the enemy were started from their cover, when he was to advance down road No. 1 through the vista and join the artillery force which would operate there; Lieutenant [John H.] Chamberlayne, with two Napoleons, was masked in the pines at the head of the vista, to assist the infantry in forcing a passage through it and to advance with them; Major [W. J.] Pegram, of Walker's battalion, was placed with four Napoleons on road No. 2,400 yards in rear of the vista on a small cleared knoll, to fire over the pines at enemy's smoke, and advance down road No. 2 through the vista as soon as a start was made in front. The rest of the artillery (Alexander's, Carter's, Jones', McIntosh's, and part of Walker's battalion) was held in reserve in rear.

About daylight the attack was commenced vigorously. Within ninety minutes the enemy were driven from the ridge in front of the vista, and the guns designated for this work (under Pegram, Page, and Chamberlayne) at once moved out and occupied it, having a fine field of fire, both at the enemy's breastworks and artillery, and somewhat of a flank fire upon those of their guns which commanded the Plank Road. These guns were immediately re-enforced by ten guns of my own battalion, under Major [Frank] Huger, Captains [George V.] Moody, [P.] Woolfolk [jr.] and [William W.] Parker, and by Lieutenant-Colonel [T. H.] Carter's and Major [D. G.] McIntosh's battalion, Thompson's battery, and McGraw's and Davidson's batteries, of Walker's battalion. Their fire was assisted by Jordan's battery,of Alexander's battalion, which here came in on the right with Anderson's division. Captain O. B. Taylor, with four Napoleons and part of Colonel Jones' battalion, was shortly afterward advanced upon the Plank road to re-enforce our fire down it and into the woods on the right and left.

About 9 a.m. the magnificent fire of our guns on the right, and the steady advance of our artillery, which had routed the enemy from the abatis lines, and was beginning to fire upon his entrenched artillery and forming for a charge, proved too much for the enemy's nerve, and with one accord his entire artillery limbered up and abandoned their breast-works,and retreated to the immediate vicinity of the Chancellorsville house, whence they again opened heavily. Our infantry meanwhile followed and occupied their works, firing on their retreat, while all the artillery on the right limbered up and moved forward, taking position under their abandoned breastworks and in the field to the south of them, and reopened upon the position of Chancellorsville, assisted by the artillery on the Plank road. This was accomplished successfully under a hot and enfilading fire, and our guns, when opened, speedily drove the enemy from this his third position. His guns having taken refuge behind