About this time a messenger arrived from Milroy, notifying ne that he had been attacked by Ewell, Imboden, and Jackson's corps on the 13th, and had been able to hold his position up to 11 o'clock on the night of the 13th. This information, coupled with the fact of the capture of Bunker Hill, satisfied me that General Milroy had been defeated, and his retread by way of Martinsburg cut off, and that the only objects in holding on was to cover the wagon train which had moved toward Williamsport. Up to this time I had been counting on assistance from the railroad, if deemed necessary to move the troops to Harper's Ferry, but, on applying to the station, was surprised to find that every car and engine had been sent away from the depot, and that there were neither cars nor engines in either direction that could be made available in the exigency They had all been removed out of reach. From 3, 30 o'clock until sunset the skirmishing in front had continued at intervals, the enemy gradually massing his increasing forces in our front and on our right flank, showing a disposition about 5 o'clock to turn our right and occupy Martinsburg. These different movements were kept in check by our artillery, in the absence of any artillery on the part of the enemy, until just a sunset, when a severe fire from couple of batteries was opened on us at convenient range which was most gallantly replied to byMaulsby's battery, and at one time so effectually as almost to silence the rebel guns. At the opening of the enemy's battery, a battalion of the One hundred, and sixth New York, Colonel James, which was supporting Maulsby's battery, was thrown into momentary confusion, and fell back, but was immediately rallied by its officers, and resumed its position in support of the battery. It had now become apparent that the enemy was in force on out front witch al least a brigade of infantry and a superior force of artillery and cavalry, and were threatening our right, and that the moment for retreat had come; and, in fact that while I was engaged in stimulating Maulby's battery and giving some assistance to Colonel James in rallying his regiment, Colonel Smith, with the Once hundred and twenty-sixth Ohio, had already, without any notice to me, left field, and I discovered the One hundred and sixth New York were purposing to follow, but apparently in doubt which way to move . On leaving Maulby's battery, I ordered him to thrown in a few shots as rapidly as possible, then limber up, and follow the movements of the infantry ; and seeing the One hundred and sixth New York halting, I ordered it forward, intending to move out on the Williamsport road, supposing the One hundred and twenty -sixth Ohio had taken that direction. Moving forward a couple of hundred yards, and before reaching the crossing of the Shepherdstown road, m and directed Colonel James to move his regiment in that direction . At the time the rebel artillery opened fire, one section of Maulby's battery was posted some 300 paces to the rear of the other two sections, and its fire directed against some rebel cavalry and infantry marching against our right. One gun of this section had been dismounted, and the other, with the two caissons had been limbered up moved off in that regiment. The order two sections, by some mistake not yet explained, moved off in a gallop up the road toward