The rain continued but was powerless to put out the heat of battle. Visibility was bad and getting worse to a point were it was difficult to determine friend from foe. Flashes of lightning and muskets only temporarily showed the location of the enemy's position.

General Kearny had now arrived and was on the field positioning his artillery. In spite of the darkness and rain, Battery E of the 1st Rhode Island Light Artillery, fired more than 100 rounds of solid shot over the heads of the Union troops and just into the woods.

The effect of shot hitting the trees caused wood shrapnel and limb's to crash on the Rebs. Sudden gaps would appear in the gray line as a direct hit plowed through the ranks. 

Lieutenant Leopard from Lexington was brought back to me with both his legs torn off below the knees by a shell and another man with part of his arm torn off, but neither Dr. Kennedy, Dr. Kilgore nor our medical wagon was with us, and I had nothing with me to give them but morphine.  They both died during the night. The battle continued till night came on and stopped it.  We filled the carriage house, barn and stable with our wounded, but I could do but little for them."

From the letters of Dr. Welch, Surgeon of the 13th South Carolina Regiment  - Ox Hill, September 3,1862.

  Parrott shell fragments have also been found close to Little River Turnpike (where the power lines now cross the road) which show at least one other Union battery (probably Benjamin's reinforced battery) was also firing into and beyond the western woods.

The Confederate artillery, located at the intersection and in formation along Little River Turnpike, was unable to return fire. Col. S. Crutchfield, Jackson's Chief of Artillery, in his after-action report stated the following;

"On Monday September 1, in the battle of Ox Hill, we had no artillery engaged. The character of the ground was such that it could not be brought into action. Several batteries were posted so as to check any success of the enemy, but none became engaged."

Jackson had originally positioned his artillery to support the Confederate advance on Germantown. The only field of fire available to him during the battle, which he apparently didn't use, was an exposed position where the Confederate battleline crossed West Ox Road. The fact that Jackson couldn't deploy his artillery without fear of hitting his own troops, is but another indication that he was surprised by the enemy on his southern flank.    

[ The Battle ] [ The Exhibit ]  [ Guest book ] [ What's New ] [ Preservation ] [ Credits ] [Letters]