An artillery barrage lasting more than an hour dismounted one of four Confederate cannons and killed most of its crew before Federal soldiers advanced on the Confederate positions. As the Confederate right and left wings collapsed, the center broke and a general retreat began toward the Elk Creek bridge, with the three remaining cannons withdrawing over Elk Creek while some Confederate forces rallied on the banks in an effort to hold the Federals. In fighting described as hand-to-hand and close-range, troops skirmished through brush and tall grass on a hillside until the opposing line was located, and after a colonel was badly wounded Tom Moonlight took command of the regiment. The main line advanced to within 52 yards of the concealed enemy line, both sides fired almost simultaneously, and they stood exchanging fire at that distance for 20 minutes before the enemy broke and was pursued. Confederate accounts recalled men in small parties giving way until the retreat became general, with Col. Bass' regiment and Capt. Lee's battery, after a gallant defense, compelled to fall back, while Col. DeMorse's and Col. Martin's regiments on the left also retired except for a few cut off from the main body. Another Confederate account remembered constant skirmisher fire on both sides, the enemy advancing in line of battle across the entire front with rapid small-arms fire, a withheld volley delivered at 20 yards, and a fallback to a small branch in the rear after the right gave way and flanking threatened.