enemy's fire. Averell's cavalry pushed back the enemy's skirmishers
still farther to our right.

The enemy, from his signal station of Three-Top Mountain, took the
movements of Ricketts and Averell to be a preparation for a real
attack, designed to fall upon the front of Ramseur's division, and
he prepared to meet it. While these operations were taking place,
Crook moved his infantry under cover of the thick timber along the
face of Little North Mountain, and by 4 P.M. reached a position
with his two divisions full on Early's left flank. Crook at once
crossed the narrow Valley and bore down on the enemy's extreme
left, which at once gave way. Ramseur, in my front, had been
attentively watching Ricketts, and now seeing the danger from Crook,
commenced drawing his troops out of his breastworks and changing
front to his left. I was near enough to discover this movement,
and, to prevent its consummation, I ordered an immediate charge,
which was executed on a run. Ramseur, discovering the new and
seemingly more imminent danger, tried to reoccupy his works, but,
simultaneously, Crook charged, and Ramseur's troops, caught in the
mist of his movement, fell into confusion, became panic-stricken,
and fled through the timber or were captured. This spread a panic
to Early's entire army. The troops of my command did not halt to
fire in the charge, but crossed the Run and struggled up the
precipitous banks and over the breastworks, suffering little loss,
and were soon in possession of eight of the enemy's guns and some
prisoners. They met inside of the enemy's fortifications and
commingled with Crook's men. When the charge was well under way,
Colonel George A. (Sandy) Forsyth ( 4) of Sheridan's staff reached
me on the gallop. He was the bearer of orders, but did not deliver
them. He only exclaimed: "You are all right; you need no orders."
He, later, explained that Sheridan had sent him to direct me to
assault, if opportunity presented, in co-operation with Crook.

In passing on horseback around the right of the enemy's works to
gain an entrance, and while going up a steep hill in the timber,
I fell in with a mounted officer wearing a plain blouse and a slouch
hat, but with no insignia of rank. We continued together for a
short time, he inquiring of the progress of the battle as I had
observed it. I asked him if he knew what General Crook was doing.
He modestly laughed, and said Crook was just then engaged with me
i