[CHAP. XXXIII.

the river. From this position the enemy's battery was taken obliquely one of their dismounted, and the rest driven off. The enemy also opened fire from his advanced position on the spur near Hazel Run. Martin's, Butler's, and McCartney's batteries immediately changed front, by order of Captain Ayres, chief of artillery, Sixth Corps, and, assisted by Hexamer's battery, already in position, entirely subdued the enemy's fire by 12 m., and drove him from his position with the loss of a part of a battery, left disabled on the field. Amsden's battery (four 3-inch guns) now joined from the north side of the river, and was posted near Ransom's.

About 2 p.m. our guns opened all along the front, to clear the woods for an infantry assault by Meade's and Gibbons' divisions. Simpson's battery changed front to its right to participate in the cannonade. The enemy replied with his artillery, but was silenced on the right by the dismounting of one of his guns and the blowing up of two of his caissons. On the left the enemy replied by his batteries in our front, and also from six or eight guns to the front and left of his former enfilading position on the Bowling Green road. Wolcott's battery of five guns (one having been disabled by the enemy's shot) was brought up to the Bowling Green road and posted about half way between Simpson's battery and the enemy's former enfilading position.

Three batteries (Gerrish's, Stewart's, and Reynolds', numbering in all fourteen guns) were placed in position at the point formerly occupied by the enemy. The batteries all opened, and in half an hour silenced those of the enemy, after blowing up four of his caissons.

Our line had been steadily extending toward the left. This was safely done under protection of De Russy's batteries, on the north side of the Rappahannock River, which he moved up and down the river, and so maneuvered as to defeat all the demonstrations of the enemy against our left flank. One of his batteries (Taft's) was so placed as to sweep the valley of the Massaponax for about 1 1/2 miles from its mouth, and so command its bridges that the enemy were unable to communicate across the creek, except by the head of it, and were thus prevented from extending toward the river on our left. As our line extended to the left, the openings were filled by Birney's and Sickles' divisions, which brought Randolph's, Turnbull's, and Seeley's batteries in position, giving a total force of sixty-seven guns on this front.

The assault of our infantry having been repulsed, they were closely followed by the enemy, who were driven back by the canister fire of Randolph's, Ransom's, Cooper's, Turnbull's, and Amsden's batteries, and charged by Robinson's brigade, which was acting as their support. Hall's Maine battery (six 3-inch guns), having been moved forward with Gibbon's division, was especially exposed to the attack of the enemy, and was ordered to retire. Five horses were killed at one piece in attempting to limber it up, and he was compelled to leave it; but as soon as the rest of the battery was placed in its original position in line, he returned and brought off not only the piece, but the harness of the horses which had been killed.

About sunset the enemy opened again for a short time, and there was some artillery fire on both sides until dark. The batteries which remained in position on the north side of the river opened fire upon the enemy whenever they could do so without damage to our own troops.