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a sharp fight ensued, which lasted some time, when Brockenborough was ordered
to open fire, which he did with effect, and the enemy retired.

At daylight on the morning of the 27th Jackson resumed his march, but owing
to the incompetency of his guides it was late in the afternoon before he neared the
point of attack assigned him. But at length everything indicated a rise of the
curtain in the fearful drama about to commence. Columns were marching and
counter-marching, staff officers dashed hither and thither, while the crash of small
arms, and the sullen boom of artillery on the right, told full well that the work of
death had begun.

About 4 o'clock Jackson threw out his skirmishers, and moved forward in
line of battle, and in a few minutes the enemy were developed in heavy force, and
strongly posted, when the fighting became terrific. The artillery was directed to
take position in an open field on the left, and were soon heavily engaged. The
battle here was very unequal, for the enemy had greatly the advantage in artillery
and position, and soon succeeded in disabling a number of Jackson's pieces. In a
short time the Jeff Davis Mississippi Battery was torn to pieces and the Baltimore
Light Artillery ordered to take its place, immediately under the eye of Jackson
himself. Gallantly the Marylanders responded to the order, and dashing at a full
run across the field, unlimbered and opened fire.

The author was standing close beside General Jackson when the battery went
forward, and he shall long remember the look of anxiety with which he watched it,
and well he might, for upon the success of that battery much depended. For
a while the air was filled with exploding, crashing shells, and the horses and men
fell rapidly before that withering- fire, which was directed with almost the precision
of a rifle shot. Away went a limber chest high in the air. scattering death and
destruction around. " We are not close enough,'' said the brave Rrockenbo rough.
" Limber to the front, forward, gallop ! " rung out his sharp command, and in an
instant the battery was in position at point blank range. Fiercely those guns were
then worked, despite the iron hail that plowed up the ground around them, and in a
few minutes Brockenborough had the satisfaction of seeing the enemy retire pre-
cipitately, leaving- the ground covered with dead and dying men and horses, and
shattered carriages and dismounted guns. It was French's famous battery they had
encountered, but French's no longer, save in name.

On the morning of the 29th. the battery accompanied Exvell's division to
Dispatch Station, on the York River Railroad, where a few shots were exchanged
with the enemy, when Ewell retraced his steps, and moved towards Malvern Hill.

In the afternoon of the 1st of July, the battle of Malvern Hill begran, and soon
raged fiercely. The enemy had been enabled to reach the heights of Malvern,
where he posted sixty guns, which swept every foot of ground around. In vain

did the heavy masses of infantry rush with desperate valor upon these guns, but