 Beginning around 1 pm , Union artillery fired first , initially upon infantry in the woods , and later upon any Confederate artillery that attempted to move into firing position . On the Confederate left flank , two batteries from Whiting 's division and one from Jackson 's soon began firing from their position upon Darius Couch 's division of the IV Corps , who were near the center of the Union line . This began a fierce firefight , with the Union 's eight batteries and 37 guns concentrated against three Confederate batteries and sixteen guns . The Union fire silenced the Rowan Artillery and made their position untenable . The other two Confederate batteries , placed by Jackson himself , were in somewhat better positions , and managed to keep firing . Over a period of more than three hours , a total of six or eight Confederate batteries engaged the Union Army from the Confederate left flank , but they were usually engaged only one at a time . 
