After keeping up the pursuit at this rapid rate for some three hours along the main road leading to Bristoe station, our brigade filed out into the woods upon our right when we arrived within a short distance of the station. Cooke's brigade formed the advance of the pursuing column, Kirkland's brigade followed, then came the remainder of A. P. Hill's corps. At the time we filed to our right in the woods, Kirkland's brigade moved up and filed off to the left of the road; the rest of our corps was halted and remained in the road in the rear. Our brigade (Cooke's) was immediately thrown into line of battle, the 46th N.C. regiment on the extreme right, the 15th N.C. next, the 27th N.C. next, and the 48th N.C. next, with their left resting upon the main road. In this position we were ordered to move forward. Advancing some five hundred yards through a dense forest of pines, we were halted near a small stream in an open field. About 800 yards in our front and to our left upon a hill, we could see several brigades of the enemy; while in the road in their front a large wagon train was hurriedly moving off. About this time a battery of guns concealed in the woods opened a heavy fire upon our right flank, seemingly to cover the retreat of their wagon train. Just then a courier from Gen. Heth handed to Gen. Cooke orders from Gen. Hill to advance; in the meanwhile a message was received from Col. Hall, commanding our right flank, informing Gen. Cooke that the enemy had driven in his skirmishers and was pressing him on his flank. Thereupon Cooke sent Heth's courier back to him with the information that the enemy were in force upon his right, and before he could advance that his flank must be protected. The courier from Gen. Heth returned a second time with orders to advance, and while delivering the orders one of Gen. Lee's staff-officers rode up, and being informed of our situation, said to Cooke that he would go to Gen. Hill for him. Before he had time to reach Gen. Hill, a courier arrived direct from Hill to Gen. Cooke with orders to advance at once. Cooke replied, "I will do so, and if I am flanked I will face about and cut my way out," and immediately gave the command "forward!" Advancing at a quick step up a slight elevation we came in full view of the enemy. Simultaneous with our advance five pieces of our artillery, posted in the main road upon our left, opened fire on the enemy in sight, who retired apparently in confusion.
About 800 yards in the valley in our front ran the track of the Orange & Alexandria Railroad. The road here formed an embankment from six to eight feet high, extending far enough to overlap our brigade and a portion of Kirkland's on our left. The space between us and the railroad was a barren, open field, descending with a gradual declivity to the railroad embankment. Across and beyond the railroad about 300 yards, upon a considerable elevation, were extensive woods and thickets; here the enemy had posted their artillery. In front of these woods, and on the face of the hill descending to the railroad embankment, was posted what we then supposed was the enemy's skirmish line, but which proved to be a decoy, for the troops which had retired at the firing of our artillery in the road, and a large body of those who had been retreating before Ewell, had stretched themselves behind the railroad embankment, forming their real line of battle, which consisted of the entire second corps and one division of the 5th corps of Meade's army.
We had advanced rapidly some 25 yards when our regiment, being slightly in advance, was halted until the regiments upon our right and left came up. Here we discovered for the first time the real position of the enemy behind the railroad embankment. We were going down the hill; they, secure behind the bank, had only to lie down on the slope, rest their muskets on the track of the railroad and sweep the open field as we attacked. The attack was made.
"Not tho' the soldier knew,
Some one had blundered:
Their's not to make reply,
Their's not to reason why,
Their's but to do and die;
Into the Valley of Death,
Into the mouth of Hell,