grand
raid on the communications of the rebel army, burning the bridges and
tearing up railroads. The main body of the army having secured its
position, and accomplished its work, the Sixth corps was to press
forward and harass them in their retreat toward Richmond.

Saturday afternoon, almost at dark, the First corps, Reynolds', which
had that morning parted company with the Sixth corps, crossed the river
and took position near the ford, four miles in rear of Howard.

The rebel army had been on the southeast of ours. Sickles, on the
afternoon of Saturday, discovered a train of wagons and ambulances
moving across the pike far in his front. He sent a force to cut it in
two, and was successful in taking a large number of prisoners and in
creating a panic in the train. He advanced, and was met by a strong
force of the enemy. He now sent to General Howard for reinforcements.
General Howard led a brigade to his assistance in person, and then at
full speed galloped back to his corps. He was just in time. Bursting
shells on the right of his line told of the presence of the enemy.
"Stonewall" Jackson, with an immense force, had passed round our army,
and now came like an avalanche upon the right division of the Eleventh
corps, General Devins. The men were cooking their coffee, when suddenly
the whizzing of innumerable bullets aroused them from their culinary
engagements. The hosts of Jackson, with yells and shouts, fell like a
thunderbolt upon the astonished division, and it melted away like a
snowflake in summer. The next division, Shurz, tried to maintain the
ground, and did what men could do, but could not withstand the shock of
fifty thousand men. General Hooker, fearing that the flying Germans
would stampede the whole army, directed the cavalry which was with him,
to charge upon the fugitives and arrest their flight; but no power could
halt them. The commanding general at once directed General Sickles to
attack the enemy on the flank, and, if possible, check his farther
advance.

General Howard, with great presence of mind and perseverance, succeeded
in stopping the rout at a stone wall, behind which he posted his line.
Forty pieces of artillery were also, by General Hooker's order,
concentrated to oppose the confederates, who again rushed forward with
mad desperation, and were met with terrific fire from this long line of
guns. They staggered back, but soon rallied, and again charged, and
again met with a terrible rep