All quiet last night save an occasional picket skirmish.
About 8 o'clock this morning my gun, of which I am the "gunner," was
ordered about one mile farther up the Hagerstown Turnpike to reënforce our
pickets, who had been driven in by the enemy. On gaining our position we found
the enemy had quite a large force of cavalry, many of whom they had dismounted,
and were shooting at us with long-range guns. A squad of the enemy coming in
range, I fired a "case-shot" at them, but the fuse being
defective I did them no damage. I then gave them another, and it exploded just
above them, scattering its deadly contents into their ranks. One of our pickets
told us he was hid but a short distance from them, and that shot killed and
wounded fifteen. We fired several more rounds at them and they wisely kept out
of reach. My gun was then ordered back into Williamsport by Major Boggs.
General Stuart, seeing this ordered us to retake our former position, and sent
us another gun, belonging to Hupp's Salem Artillery. The Yankees would every
now and then creep up upon us and send a Minie ball whiz zing past us. How they
whistled! They then brought up a rifled cannon and fired a few rounds at us,
but without effect. About this time a heavy skirmish occurred on our right, and
we could plainly hear the Yankee officers vainly endeavoring to rally their
men, but they would not stand, and our batteries opening upon them soon sent
them scampering across the field. A little later the Yankees came up in heavy
force upon our right and endeavored to break our line, but our men fought too
gallantly for that. A young girl came out from Williamsport and fired one of our
cannon (Second Company's) at the enemy. My gun was then ordered to the right,
some three miles down the road, and we started off at a brisk trot, leaving
Hupp's gun in charge of a Corporal and four men. Just as my gun was about to
take position it was ordered across the river by General Stuart, and he sent me
back to bring Hupp's gun off the field. The fighting on the right had been
quite heavy, and although we had driven the enemy back, yet we well knew that
it was impossible for us to hold out much longer, the enemy now outnumbering us
ten to one. It was time for Stuart to be getting on the south side of the
Potomac. He had succeeded in his purpose; had drawn a full corps of the enemy
from Sharpsburg, and had relieved Lee that much. Stuart had ordered Hampton to
cut his way through the enemy's line and cross back into Virginia at
another ford, but the Yankee force was too strong for that, and Hampton had to
cross at Williamsport. I dashed off after Hupp's gun and the cannoniers were
full glad to hear the order "Limber to the rear." When we had reached
the river we found that we were the only Southern troops on the north side of
the Potomac, for all the others had crossed over.
General Stuart had not ordered me to “cross the river,"
but I had no notion of being captured, so I got over as speedily as possible.
In the meantime, Dance's Powhatan artillery, which had been left on the south
side of the Potomac, had opened a brisk fire upon the enemy, and a very pretty
artillery duel was in progress as we were crossing over to
the Virginia side.
Reported to General Stuart, and he seemed much pleased that
I had brought off the gun.
Moved some four miles farther back, and camped for the
night.
SOURCE: William S. White, A Diary of the
War; or What I Saw of It, p. 133-5
