via Newton, a position was taken in front of the enemy on the left of the Valley turnpike, Gordon's brigade on the right, Hays' brigade in the center, Smith's brigade on the left, the right Gordon's brigade resting on the turnpike. Sharp skirmishing ensued, and was kept up along the lines throughout the day. The action of Hoke's brigade consisted in moving rapidly from right to left of the line already established, and back again to a position about 600 yards in rear of Gordon's brigade. Nigh coming on, the brigade was faced by the rear rank, and further instructions received to establish a line of pickets in our late rear, to guard against any approach of the enemy in that quarter. Arms were stacked, and the men bivouacked on their lines. At daylight on the morning of the 14th, the Fifty-fourth Regiment North Carolina troops was left on picket duty in the rear, and the brigade, now composed of the Sixth, Twenty-first, and Fifty-seventh Regiments, moved up within supporting distance of Gordon's brigade later in the day. The plan of attack having been changed, General Gordon was left to diver the attention of the enemy in front, while the rest of the division were marched silently and rapidly by a circuitous route to a range of wooded hills running parallel with the line of intrechments occupied by the enemy in rear and northwest of the town. The command having been allowed time to rest the division was formed in three lines of battle, Hays' brigade in front, Hoke's brigade 75 yards in rear, and Smith's brigade a like distance in rear of Hoke's. The artillery was placed in position on the flanks of the division, and at 6 p. m. opened a furious fire upon the enemy, very much to his surprise and confusion. He promptly returned the fire, with but little effect, however, and fifteen minutes later General Hays commenced to advance. Hoke's brigade moved forward at the same moment, but had scarcely gained 10 paces when the Fifty-seventh Regiments was ordered to move off by the left flank to the support of batteries on the left, and a few moments latter the two remaining regiments, viz, Sixth and Twenty-first, were ordered to move by the right flank to the support of the batteries on the right. General Hays soon succeeded in driving the enemy from his intrenchments, and the batteries on the left were immediately hurried forward to the position he had just gained. The Fifty-seventh Regiment then advanced in line of battle across the intervening valley, and was halted, by order of Major-General Early, in rear of Hays' brigade. Some loss was sustained in this position by the shells from the fort, which were directed at the troops upon the hill. At sunset, by order of Major-General Early, this regiment was ordered to advance upon the works on the extreme right of the enemy's line. The order was executed without loss, the enemy retiring without firing a shot. Night put an end to further movements, and by the morning the enemy had evacuated their stronghold and inner line of fortifications. At sunrise, Colonel Avery moved forward in pursuit with the Twenty-first Regiments. By order of

Major-General Early, the Fifty-seventh Regiment was left to hold the intrenchments against any attack which might be made by re-enforcement to the enemy from the direction of Romney. Following the movements of the division, the brigade forded the Potomac at Shepherdstown on the 22 d, entered Pennsylvania on the 23d, and on the 28th occupied the town of York.