at that point by Sheilds' forces. When within 1 1/2 miles of the bridge the column was halted, by order of Major-General Jackson, to await further orders. These were shortly received-in effect to return to the from and act as a reserve to the troops there engaged against Fremont. Here the brigade became separated, two regiments, the Seventh and Eighth Louisiana, being ordered to Major-General Ewell to the support of a battery in the center or on the left of our line, while I marched the remaining two regiments and Wheat's battalion to the right to support General Trimble's brigade, then much pressed. The display of force caused the enemy to retire still farther from the position to which he had been driven by the vigorous charge of Trimble's command.

The brigade, though not actually in action on this day, was much exposed to the enemy's shell, and suffered a loss of 1 private killed, 1 officer (Captain Green, Seventh Louisiana) and 7 private and non-commissioned officers wounded.

On the 9th I marched from camp near Doukard's [Dunkard's?] Church, according to orders, at daylight, and proceeded across Port Republic Bridge to the field where General Winder's troops had already engaged the enemy. Here I received orders form the major-general commanding to leave one regiment near the position then occupied by himself, and with the main body to make a detour to the right for the purpose of checking a formidable battery planted in that locality. The nature of the ground over which we passed necessarily rendered our progress slow.

On reaching the position indicated the charge was made, and the battery, consisting of six guns, fell into our hands after an obstinate resistance on the part of its supporters, our troops being at the same time subjected to a most destructive fire from the enemy's sharpshooters, posted in a wood above the battery. After holding the battery for a short time a fresh brigade of the enemy's troops, moving up from their position on my left flank, and where they had been fronting the troops of Winder's brigade, made a determined and well-conducted advance upon us, accompanied by a galling fire of canister from a piece suddenly brought into position at a distance of about 350 yards. Under this combined attack my command fell back to the skirts of the wood near which the captured battery was stationed, and from this point continued their fire upon the advancing enemy, who succeeded in reclaiming only one gun, which he carried off, leaving both caisson and limber. At this moment our batteries in my rear opened fire, and re-enforcements coming up, led by Major-General Ewell, the battle was decided in our favor, and the enemy precipitately fled.

The Seventh Louisiana Regiment, Colonel Hays, being the regiment left in the front by order of General Jackson, was meanwhile engaged in another portion of the field, and suffered heavy loss. The guns captured by the brigade were five in number, and one other-a brass 12-pounder howitzer-was afterward discovered deserted in the woods near the Brown's Gap road by Lieutenant Dushane, quartermaster of Wheat's Battalion, and by him brought off.

The loss of the brigade on this day was as follows:*

* * * * *

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*For statement here omitted, see p. 787.

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