avoided; but the morning was so dark and foggy that it was with difficulty that we could distinguish friend from foe. Every effort was made to drive the enemy from our lines, but stimulated by a successful assault, and by the desire to hold the large number of guns he had taken, he most stubbornly opposed every effort to dislodge him. He was, however, so hotly pressed that he was forced to abandon most of our works, and was prevented from carrying of during the day the guns he had captured.

The enemy threw his whole force in this attack and kept it up till late in the afternoon. Every gun that we could bring to bear was put in position, and officers and men displayed great coolness and skill in the service of them. Major Cutshaw and Captain Garber, with the men who escaped on the capture of the batteries, succeeded in reaching some of the guns which the enemy could not remove, and turning them upon the enemy, used them with great effect. Captain Montgomery was put in position with one gun in a ravine to the right of the Harris house, where he remained all day actively engaged at short range. He exhausted the ammunition from three caissons, which was used with effect. The conspicuous gallantry of these officers called forth general admiration. About 12 m., on account of the heavy pressure the enemy was making on our lines and the loss we had sustained in artillery in the early part of the action, I found it necessary to ask for re-enforcements of artillery. Colonel Cabell and Lieutenant-Colonel McIntosh, with parts of their battalions, were sent to me. I am much obliged to these officers for the valuable service they rendered on this occasion. Colonel Cabell was put in position on the left of Hardaway's battalion (this battalion was now commanded by Captain Dance, Hardaway having been wounded in the early part of the day), McIntosh was held in position at the Harris house, with the exception of two guns, which were posted on the hill above the McCool house. Colonel Carter commanded in the morning the artillery posted on the hill above the Court-House, but later in the day he joined me in front of the main attack. He rendered valuable assistance; his coolness and judgment everywhere had their effect. I was also ably assisted by Lieutenant S. V. Southall, assistant adjutant-general, and by Lieutenant-Colonel Braxton, whose battalion was engaged throughout the day. Lieutenant-Colonel Nelson occupied a position on the Court-House hill and handsomely assisted in repelling an attack on that portion of the line. At night a new line was established, and all the artillery was withdrawn from the positions occupied during the day and put upon it.

The next day was occupied in reorganizing. Major Cutshaw was assigned to the command of Hardaway's battalion; Major Stribling was also assigned to this command. Major Page was put in command of the remnants of his own and Cutshaw's battalions.

Everything remained quiet along the lines till the morning of the 18th. The enemy, about 9 a.m., advanced a heavy force against our new line. He was allowed to come within good canister range of our breast-works. Carter's division of artillery then opened a most murderous fire of canister and spherical case-shot, which at once arrested his advance, threw his columns into confusion, and forced him to a disorderly retreat. His loss was very heavy; ours wa nothing. This attack fairly illustrates the immense power of artillery well handled. A select force of 10,000 or 12,000 infantry was broken and driven from the field in less than thirty minutes by twenty-nine pieces