The artillery did little better than the cavalry.  The ground on the north bank of the Swamp by no means favoured the action of the guns.  To the right of the road the slopes were clear and unobstructed, hut the crest was within the forest; while to the left a thick pine wood covered both ridge and valley.  On the bank held by the Federals the ground was open, ascending gently to the ridge; but the edge of the stream, immediately opposite the cleared ground on the Confederate right, was covered by a belt of tall trees, in full leaf, which made observation, by either side, a matter of much difficulty.  This belt was full of infantry, while to the right rear, commanding the ruined bridge, stood the batteries which had driven back the cavalry.

After some time spent in reconnaissance, it was determined to cut a track through the wood to the right of the road.  This was done, and thirty-one guns, moving forward simultaneously ready-shotted, opened fire on the position.  The surprise was complete.  One of the Federal batteries dispersed in confusion; the other disappeared, and the infantry supports fell back.  Jackson immediately ordered two guns to advance down the road, and shell the belt of trees which harboured the enemy’s skirmishers.  These were driven back; the divisions of D.H.  Hill and Whiting were formed up in the pine wood on the left, and a working party was sent forward to repair the bridge.  Suddenly, from the high ground behind the belt of trees, by which they were completely screened, two fresh Federal batteries—­afterwards increased to three—­opened on the line of Confederate guns.  Under cover of this fire their skirmishers returned to the Swamp, and their main line came forward to a position whence it commanded the crossing at effective range.  The two guns on the road were sent to the right-about.  The shells of the Federal batteries fell into the stream, and the men who had been labouring at the bridge ran back and refused to work.  The artillery duel, in which neither side could see the other, but in which both suffered some loss, continued throughout the afternoon.

Meantime a Confederate regiment, fording the stream, drove in the hostile skirmishers, and seized the belt of trees; Wright’s brigade, of Huger’s division, which had joined Jackson as the guns came into action, was sent back to force a passage at Brackett’s Ford, a mile up stream; and reconnaissances were pushed out to find some way of turning the enemy’s position.  Every road and track, however, was obstructed by felled trees and abattis, and it was found that a passage was impracticable at Brackett’s Ford.  Two companies were pushed over the creek, and drove back the enemy’s pickets.  “I discovered,” says Wright, “that the enemy had destroyed the bridge, and had completely blockaded the road through the Swamp by felling trees in and across it...I ascertained that the road debouched from the Swamp into an open field (meadow), commanded by a line of high hills, all in cultivation and free from timber.  Upon this ridge of hills the enemy had posted heavy batteries of field-artillery, strongly supported by infantry, which swept the meadow by a direct and cross fire, and which could be used with terrible effect upon my column while struggling through the fallen timber in the wood through the Swamp.” (1 O.R. volume 11 part 1 pages 810, 811.)