Hamilton's battery, which was firing vigorously and
effectively into the rebel column. The 7th Connecticut and
New Hampshire about this time ran short of ammunition, and
Col. Hawley, finding the rebels outnumbered his force three
to one, was about ordering Col. Abbott to fall back and out
of the concentrated fire of the enemy pouring upon his men,
when he observed the rebels coming in for a down upon his
column.

"Here they come like tigers; the Federal column wavers a
little; it staggers and breaks, falling back in considerable
disorder! Col. Hawley now ordered Col. Fribley to take his
Phalanx Regiment, the 8th, to the right of the battery and
check the advancing rebel force. No time was to be lost, the
enemy's sharpshooters had already silenced two of Hamilton's
guns, dead and dying men and horses lay in a heap about
them, while at the remaining four guns a few brave
artillerists were loading and fixing their pieces, retarding
the enemy in his onward movement.

"Deficient in artillery, they had not been able to check the
Federal cavalry in its dash, but the concentrated fire from
right to center demoralized, and sent them galloping over
the field wildly. Col. Fribley gave the order by the right
flank, double quick! and the next moment the 8th Phalanx
swept away to the extreme right in support of the 7th New
Hampshire and the 7th Connecticut. The low, direct aim of
the enemy in the rifle-pits, his Indian sharpshooters up in
the trees, had ere now so thinned the ranks of Col. Hawley's
command that his line was gone, and the 8th Phalanx met the
remnant of his brigade as it was going to the rear in
complete disorder. The rebels ceased firing and halted as
the Phalanx took position between them and their fleeing
comrades. They halted not perforce, but apparently for
deliberation, when with one fell swoop in the next moment
they swept the field in their front.

"The Phalanx did not, however, quit the field in a
panic-stricken manner but fell hastily back to the battery,
only to find two of the guns silent and their brave workers
and horses nearly all of them dead upon the field. With a
courage undaunted, surpassed by no veteran troops on any
battle-field, the Phalanx attempted to save the silent guns.
In this effort Col.