Late last night our company detailed for picket duty.
Located at the ford, near the town. It was a fearful, dark, rainy night. Every
man was on duty and on the alert all night. By order of General Hunter a large
woolen mill was burned this morning. I noticed a number of women were crying as
the mill burned. It had been used to make cloth for the South. Death and
destruction follows in the path of war. This is a quiet Sunday morning in old
Connecticut. Here a battle is about to begin. Came off picket, ordered to join
the regiment. After a forced march, about six miles, overtook the regiment,
taking our position in the line. Soon skirmish firing began and grew hot. Our
boys driving the Rebs as we advanced. About 7 A. M. the enemy opened fire on
our line with batteries well posted on high hills, distance about two miles,
getting range on our colors. At the time we were advancing by division front,
when the shells began to come lively. Our Colonel's voice rang out clear “By
division, into line, right and left, half wheel, forward, double quick.” The
command was quickly executed as the regiment advanced in line through the open
lots, taking the extreme right of the line of battle. We could plainly see all
that was taking place in the open country. The enemy's line of battle was
formed in a wooded field at the top of the highest hills. We were forced to
jump brooks, some quite wide, and climb over fences, all this time under fire.
We could not return the fire because of our skirmish line in our front, between
us and the enemy.
Reaching the foot of the hill on which the enemy was posted,
we were ordered to crawl up it on our hands and knees. Reaching the brow we
were ordered to rise, at the same time the enemy poured a deadly volley into
our ranks. A number fell, and the stock of my gun was shot off. As we started
on a charge for the enemy in the woods they broke and ran. As we poured a sharp
fire into their ranks, they left their first line of earthworks and fell back
to the second. We continued the charge on through the woods, coming out into an
open lot. Our Colonel being mounted, saw the second line of earthworks in the
edge of another wooded field, commanded a halt, which was done after a while.
Then we were ordered to fall back and re-form in the edge of the woods and to
wait for orders. My gun having been shot and no good, I picked up another one
on the field. I was very sorry to lose the old musket. A number of our boys had
fallen. The enemy was strongly posted on another hill across an open field
which we must charge through in order to get at them.
Orders came for us to take their works. A charge was again
ordered, but we were ordered to fall back and reform. Another attempt was made
to capture the works. Owing to our heavy loss the Colonel ordered us to fall
back. Our regiment was holding the extreme right of the line. In the second
charge across the field a bullet pierced my tin coffee cup, hanging on my
haversack, making, as the boys said, two close calls for me. After the second
charge our Colonel called for a battery, posted it in a good position on our
right, where it did great execution. The enemy attempted to take the battery
but we drove them back. A third charge was ordered across the open field. We
were again obliged to fall back. The enemy's fire was too hot for us and we
were losing many good fellows. In the third charge the colors went to the
ground, the corporal of the color-guard, who was carrying them, being shot
down. I jumped and picked up the flag, waving it and holding it up.
Later, orders came to prepare for another charge on the
enemy's earth works. A desperate effort must be made to capture those works. As
a signal, a cheer would ring out from the left of the line, extending to the
right, for the entire length of the line, to charge. It was quickly done and
the battle was won.
The enemy threw down their arms and were prisoners. In the
fourth and final charge, the Confederate commander, Major General Wm. E. Jones,
was killed. He was known as Billy Jones. I saw the dead commander lying on the
field, he having been shot through the forehead. I also saw the flag of truce
when the Confederates came for the body. I spoke to the escort, they telling me
who the dead General was.
The day had been a long, hard one. We were under fire from 7
A. M. to 5 P. M. Sorrow came to us over our loss, but we must have something to
eat in order to keep up. I carried several canteens over to the Shenandoah
River, filled them. On my return I stopped to see a young wounded Confederate.
Bathed his wound on his foot with the water from my own canteen. He thanked me
kindly as he lay on the ground, patiently waiting for his turn to be cared for.
After having rations I picked up a few blankets, visited the field hospital,
and covered our boys over with them, as the nights were cool. It was a
sickening sight to me. No more desire to visit a field hospital after a battle.
I made my way back to our company in the dark. Lay down on the battle field for
the night, for rest and sleep. Dead and wounded around us.
SOURCE: Charles H. Lynch, The Civil War Diary,
1862-1865, of Charles H. Lynch 18th Conn. Vol's, p. 68-70
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