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Volume II.
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476

THE SECOND BATTLE OF BULL RUN .

THE BATTLE OF GROVETON , AUGUST 29TII, AS SEEN FROM CENTREVILLE. FROM A SKETCH MADE AT THE TIME.

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. . . “Generals Jones and Wilcox bivouacked that night [28th] east of the mountain; andon the morning of the 29th the whole command resumed the march, the sound of cannon atManassas announcing that Jackson was already engaged. Longstreet entered the turnpikenear Gainesville , and, moving down toward Groveton, the head of his column came upon thefield in rear of the enemy’s left, which had already opened with artillery upon Jackson’s right,as previously described. He immediately placed some of his batteries in position, but before hecould complete his dispositions to attack, the enemy withdrew ; not, however, without loss fromour artillery. Longstreet took position on the right of Jackson, Hood’s two brigades, supportedby Evans, being deployed across the turnpike, at right angles to it. These troops were sup-ported on the left by three brigades under General Wilcox, and by a light force on the rightunder General Kemper. D. R. Jones’s division formed the extreme right of the line, resting onthe Manassas Gap railroad. The cavalry guarded our right and left flanks ; that on the rightbeing under General Stuart in person. After the arrival of Longstreet the enemy changed hisposition and began to concentrate opposite Jackson’s left, opening a brisk artillery fire, whichwas responded to with effect by some of General A. P. Hill ’s batteries. Colonel Walton placeda part of his artillery upon a commanding position between the lines of Generals Jackson andLongstreet, by order of the latter, and engaged the enemy vigorously for several hours. Soonafterward General Stuart reported the approach of a large force from the direction of BristoeStation, threatening Long-street’s right. The brigades under General W’ilcox were sent to reen-force General Jones, but no serious attack was made, and after firing a few shots the enemywithdrew. While this demonstration was being made on our right, a large force advanced toassail the left of Jackson’s position, occupied by the division of General A. P. Hill . The attackw-as received by his troops with their accustomed steadiness, and the battle raged with greatfury. The enemy was repeatedly repulsed, but again pressed on to the attack with fresh troops.Once he succeeded in penetrating an interval between General Gregg’s brigade, on the extremeleft, and that of General Thomas, but was quickly driven back with great slaughter by the 14thSouth Carolina regiment, then in reserve, and the 49tli Georgia, of Thomas’s brigade. Thecontest was close and obstinate: the combatants sometimes delivering their fire at ten paces.General Gregg, who was most exposed, was reenforced by Hays’s brigade under Colonel Forno,and successfully and gallantly resisted the attacks of the enemy, until, the ammunition of hisbrigade being exhausted, and all his field-officers but two killed or wounded, it was relieved, after