Blenker's old brigade (among the regiments, as prisoners informed us, the Eighth New York and Bucktail Rifles from Pennsylvania), driving in our pickets before a heavy fire. I ordered the three regiments to rest quietly in the edge of an open wood until the enemy, who were advancing in regular order across the field and hollow, should come within 50 steps of our line. The order was mainly observed, and as the enemy appeared above the crest of the hill a deadly fire was delivered along our whole from, beginning on the right, dropping the deluded victims of Northern fanaticism and misrule by scores. The repulse of the enemy was complete, followed by and advance, ordered by me, in pursuit. As the enemy's rear regiments had halted in the wood on the other side of the valley, I deemed it prudent after the field in our front had been cleared, to resume our position on the hill and await their further advance.

Remaining in our position some fifteen minutes, and finding the enemy not disposed to renew the contest, and observing from its fire a battery on the enemy's left, half a mile in advance of us, I promptly decided to make a move from our right flank and try to capture the battery, as I reported at the time to General Ewell, who at this stage of the action sent to know our success and to ask if I wanted re-enforcements. To which I replied I had driven back the enemy; wanted no aid; but thought I could take their battery, and was moving for that purpose. I accordingly in person moved the Fifteenth Alabama to the right along a ravine, and, unperceived, got upon the enemy's left flank and in his rear, marching up in fine order as on drill. I had on leaving as soon as they heard I was hotly engaged with the enemy. These fire of the enemy's artillery, directed at the woods. The Fifteenth Alabama completely surprised the force in their front (the enemy's left flank), and drove them by a heavy fire, hotly returned, from behind logs and trees along the wood to the westward.

Meantime the Twenty-first Georgia and Sixteenth Mississippi moved across the field and fell in with the remainder of the enemy's brigade, which had reformed in the woods to our left, and delivered a galling fire upon the Sixteenth Mississippi, which omitted to turn up the woods to its left, after the main body of the enemy, thus exposing its men to enfilading fire. Colonel Mercer, of the Twenty-first Georgia, came to their timely rescue, and both soon gallantly drove the enemy out of the woods, killing and wounding large numbers. On marching to the right flank with the Fifteenth Alabama I found parts of the Thirteenth and Twenty-fifth Virginia Regiments, under command of Colonel J. A. Walker, of General Elzey's brigade, had been ordered to my support by General Ewell. I ordered Colonel Walker to move on my right through the woods and advance ont he enemy in line of battle perpendicularly to his line and in rear of the battery. Unluckily, as the woods tended to his right, he marched directly on, fell in with my regiment (Fifteenth Alabama), and lost time by having to move by the view of the battery, which turned its fire on him with galling effect, compelling a resort to the woods. At this time the right wing of the Fifteenth Alabama had advanced unperceived, under my direction, to within 300 yards of the battery, then playing rapidly over their heads on the Thirteenth and Twenty-fifth Virginia. Perceiving the Sixteenth Mississippi and Twenty-first Georgia had advanced, I gave orders to charge the battery. Upon reaching the top of the hill I found it had limbered up and rap-