Augusta County: Diary of Michael Reid Hanger (1861)
5 O'clock A.M. we can hear the cannon firing from the hills in front, and a little below us, The Yankees are endeavoring to draw un in that direction. The Junction is strongly fortifiyed, with breastworks and entrenchments around in every possible direction. 8 o'clock they are now fighting in a hurry above here about 2 miles. we are moving briskly in that direction.. The enemy still Cannonading below.. Actium is our Countersight and and Sumpter [sic] our Watchword. our Regt the 4th was ordered to different places at 1 o'clock PM we was ordered on the field our Regt and the 27th was drawen up behind 8 peaces of Artilery57 and was ordered to lay low we lay there for 3 1/2 hours had several men killed there. then we was ordered to rais and fire and charge bayonetts. There was an Awfull fire kept up The yankees had flanked round on our left had planted six peaces of Artilery & had A cross fire on us when we we charged the yankees fell back and we captured their artilery The ground was covered with dead & wounded George Chapin 58 and myself was togather when Miller59 was wounded I was struck with A peace of shell and was helped of the field by John Donald 60 & John Middleton When we got to the fence in the rear it was Capt. Letcher 61 who got Mr John Laird.s horse for me to ride to the camp A distance of 3 miles aide camp [aide-de-camp] Marchell 62 came to camp with Me General Jackson came in at dark Mr Right 63 of our Company got him something to eat and gave him some of our Boys blanketts to sleep on The company did not all get to camp tonight Leiut Paxton came in None of our officers was hurt all come up safe We lost in the R[ockbridge] Rifles. Fred Davidson64 and Asbery McClurer, Wounded, Bourger65 Neff66 Rollins Moody67 Press Davidson68 Miller. Northern69. Parks70. Rahle [Reilly]. Wallace Ruff 71. In the Artillery (Rockbridge) None killed, wounded, Jack Jordan72, Brockenbrough73, and Singleton74