about midnight
Other of the Stonewall regiments deployed in the fields and the 27th advanced against the opposing force , part of Banks 's rearguard . It gave way , disappearing in the darkness of the woods . The grey column , pushing across the Opequon , came into a zone of Federal skirmishers and sharpshooters ambushed behind stone fences . Somewhere about midnight Steve , walking in about the worst dream he had ever had , determined that no effort was too great if directed toward waking . It was a magic lantern dream -- black slides painted only with stars and fireflies , succeeded by slides in which there was a moment 's violent illumination , stone fences leaping into being as the musket fire ran along . A halt -- a company deployed -- the foe dispersed , streaming off into the darkness -- the hurt laid to one side for the ambulances -- _ Column Forward ! _ Sometimes a gun was unlimbered , trained upon the threatening breastwork and fired .