The morning of Saturday, April 1, opened bright and clear, when we left our position and dismounted, advanced into the deep pine forest. Soon after starting the clear resonant notes of a rebel bugle, far to our front, was borne upon the air, and we readily recognized the sound “to horse.” Cautiously our skirmishers advanced feeling for the enemy. Nearly a mile was covered in this way, when the first shots were fired. This was answered by heavy cheers from our side. The enemy fell back slowly, each side increasing the number of skirmishers until there was almost a line of battle. 5000 dismounted cavalry were in this move and were to drive the Confederates ingloriously into their works. The object of the wily Sheridan was to capture as well as to rout. Our lead the horses were following at a reasonable distance. A rider in speaking of this affair says: “with their horses within call, the cavalrymen in line of battle, stood together like walls of stone, swelling onward like those gradual elevating ridges of which Lyell speaks. All the afternoon the cavalry pushed them hard and the strife went on uninterruptly and terrifically. The battle was fought at so close quarters that the union carbines were never out of range; Had this been otherwise, the long rifles of the enemy would have given them every advantage.“ I will now follow the fortunes of our own brigade in Regiment

It was after 5 o’clock in the evening when our horses were brought to us, and mountain, we prepared to charge the enemies left-hand rear. I way off to our right the battle rage to fiercely. With a gallon Custer in the lead we started on a wild ride for the enemy. It was getting late and, though there was no road, only timber brush and bog, we kept up a trot until considerable cleared land it was reached. I’m an elevation near our house a rebel (this is the end of page 212). Battery was located, and being unable to depress their guns, the shop passed over our heads causing a good many of the boys to unconsciously duck their heads. Captain and income and KROM with a squadron captured the battery, or rather took the gutters prisoner. Just be on the battery, he drove a beef cattle was being hardly driven to the rear by a squad of soldiers, all fell into our hands.
The rebel Cavalry skirmishers were met by our brigade and soon put to flight. About this time we gained the top of a little rich, but Stubblefield in front. Across the field, scratch the way to the right and left, was the nicest line of rubble Cavalry we ever be held. Archer were answered by the famous rebel yell. Our Carmines were brought into play as we steadily advanced, but the enemy did the same. The Eagles were sounding Trite, the band playing Hale Columbia, the roar of battle on the right almost drowning the sound of our car beans. The sun was thinking behind the Western Hills has the two lines of opposing horseman approached each other. The order to see his firing was passed along the line, wind, instinctively it seemed, 1000 sabers were flashing in the air, recalling the words of Tennyson who says
Flashed all their sabres bare
Flashed as they turned in air
Sab’ring the gunners there

But the opposing lines near the center of the field, where a ditch or drain man parallel to the Y to battle. Confederates halted about 10 paces from the edge of the ditch, powerline going to the drain and also Holton. During the brief time this hot was made, but the opposing forces are the each other as if preparing for the deadly hand to hand in counter. The tenant Emerson McMillan said: “boys, this will do, let’s go over. “ When, putting spurs to his horse, the ditch Was cleared, and at the same time, the rest of the regiment boldly went over and fell onto the rebel horseman with saber. Owing to the position of the line, nearly all the casualties fell on the second Virginia, most of the loss being in wounded. In this (page 213 ends). Hand to hand fighting, many of the enemy were killed before they retreated. The regiment followed the enemy until the edge of the field was reached, when we were met by a large force of rebel Cavalry, which so overlapped our left that we were forced that we in turn were forced back a short distance, when the left of our line was reinforced by the rest of the brigade, then our boys turned, and in a spirited charge drove the enemy from the field, capturing a number of prisoners and 12 confederate flags. The regiment followed the enemy on the jump for 3 miles, then returned to near where the main fight had been. (History of the Second Regiment pp. 212-214)

bryce