Year: 1862

'hioh unuelWoou. Ine SklrmlSnlnS De-
came sharp and soon assumed the charac.
teristics of battle, sometimes to the right
and sometimes to the left of us few can
non shot went screaming over head, and
grape shot visited us more closely than
was pleasant. We could hear the respect
i've parties engaged send up their cheers
as the tide of battle would waver this or
that way. Two brigades of our division
were engaged, and we stood in silence ex-
pecting to be ordered forward at any min
ute to relieve our bold comrades.


The want of rations was soon forgotten
and each man was seeing that the fast
falling rain should not disqualify his
"trusty" for immediate use; but it hap.
pened that we were not needed.


Hancock with his own, and the Sd
Davidson's, their General was absent on
a furlough) brigade turned their left flank
and drove them out Of two forts. The
fighting on the left was only feint, and
kept their attention on that point, while
Hancock turned their left flank. Han
cock got a good position in an open field,
and the rebels seeing the advantage he
was gaining, made a desperate charge, in
tending to take his battery and drive his
men into mill dam that was in their
rear, but they found to their sorrow that
they had the wrong chap to deal with.
Hancock had his men fall back to the
edge of the wood and let the rebels come
within fifty rods of him, where they halted
in little hollow to rest and dress their
lines preparatory to fresh onset. He
thought it was now his turn, and advanc-
ed his men quietly till they could see the
heads of the rebels over the little swell
that separated them, then with cheer
his men charged. The rebels turned and
fed in confusion, then our men poured in
most deadly volley, and the rebels fell
like sheep. While the rebels were ad-
vanced, Hancock's picket of some 60 men
was cut off from their brigade, but they
formed in line and kept concealed in the
woods till the rebels got repulsed, and
then they poured in deadly cross-fre on
the retreating foe. 1t is said that more
were were killed by this fire than by the
direct fire of the line that charged. When
the firing ceased and the smoke passed off
the field was covered with apparently dead
bodies, but soon three got up and waved a
white handkerchief, and three of our men
went down to see what they wanted. At
that moment more than one hundred of
the apparently dead ones jumbed up and
surrendered as prisoners Of war. Most of
these were unhurt, bu, they wanted to
fall into our hands, and with very good
philosophy, seized on the first opportunity
to do SO. l got these details from several
members of the 7th Maine Regt., who
were in the fight, and did not have a man
hurt. The rebel loss in killed wounded
and prisoners is estimated at one thous-
and, and squads of dead ones are being
found every hour and prisoners are COM
ing in fast. On the left where the feint
was made our loss was heavy. 1t is re.
ported that some of our men got sur
rounded and were taken prisoners.


Our brigade relieved Hancock this
morning, and let his men go back to rest
themselves. We did not feel much rested
as we had to be in readiness to start with
a moments warning. Some sat on their
knapsacks, others stood or leaned against
trees, and some cut or bent bushes
down and lay on them; but there was one
comfort that all partook Of, viz: getting
throughly soaked. During the night
most Of the Cos. in our Regt. had rations
brought to them; but marry ration for
Co. d. When we got to where the Maine
boys were, Co. d, at least, was pretty hun
CRY. The Maine boys. although short
themselves, divided with us, and 50 we
kept up good cheer till our ratiOns came.
The cooks had to lug it 8 miles, and lost
their way or they would have got along
last night. We are in the woods; the
weather has cleared up and we are quite
comfortable. ! have not seen any Of the
Sd since Sunday, but they were not in
auv fght that I know of | oct the News