m and wholly
unknown to our troops. Silent was notified of our repulse. It was
apparent that Laws's whole army was on the field, and meditated an
attack before our army could be brought into action. Sedgewear's troops
were not all up; Broomfield had not arrived, and Hanscom was not yet on
the ground. This was not quite what Gen. Silent had been accustomed to.
His commands heretofore were always at the spot on time when ordered,
and generally before the time appointed.

"He at once mounted his horse and rode in person to the front, in order
to get a view of the situation. He followed Warner on a narrow road,
which was thronged with troops in great disorder. Slight works thrown up
by both sides, in intervals of the fight, were very close together. He
at once saw from the nature of the surrounding country the importance
of maintaining Warner's position. On his return to his headquarters he
dispatched officers to hasten Sedgewear's and Broomfield's troops with
all possible speed. His wish now was to bring to bear as largo a force
as possible against Laws's left, in order to prevent the discovery of
the great space between Warner and Hanscom. Laws, however, had detected
this gap, and was forming Hiller's Corps to move through it.

"Geddis was now ordered to move at once and hold this part of the line
with his division of Warner's Corps against all force that might come
against him. This was the breathless time during the day. Geddis took
the position. Hiller moved against him, but Geddis held the point.
Hanscom came up, but his corps was far away to his rear. It was nearly
two o'clock before his troops came in sight, certainly none too soon. He
at once formed on Geddis's left. There was but one spot, on account of
the density of the forest, where artillery could be put in battery or
used to any advantage. Here Hanscom put all his artillery. At 2:30 he
received orders to attack Hiller at once in conjunction with Geddis,
which he did. This compelled Hanscom to move two of his divisions in
support of Geddis, Burns and Motley. The two lines had both approached
until they were exceedingly close together.

"The battle now commenced in great earnest on both sides, and was of
a most destructive and deadly character. The musketry firing was
continuous along the whole line. The remainder of Hanscom's Corps
was ordered up and went into action, having no time for protecting
themselves. Several desperate assaults were made by Hanscom a