fifty yards in our front behind that stone wall. We
were now exposed to the fire of their three lines of infantry, having no
shelter whatever. It was like standing upon a raised platform to be shot
down by those sheltered behind it. Had we been ordered to fix bayonets
and charge those heights we could have understood the movement, though
that would have been an impossible undertaking, defended as they were.
But to be sent close up to those lines to maintain a firing-line without
any intrenchments or other shelter, if that was its purpose, was simply
to invite wholesale slaughter without the least compensation. It was to
attempt the impossible, and invite certain destruction in the effort. On
this interesting subject I have very decided convictions, which I will
give later on.

[Illustration: FIRST LIEUT. JAMES A. ROGERS

CO. C]

[Illustration: FIRST LIEUT. NOAH H. JAY

CO. K]

[Illustration: FIRST LIEUT. A. C. MENSCH

CO. E]

[Illustration: FIRST LIEUT. CHARLES E. GLADDING

CO. D]

[Illustration: FIRST LIEUT. ISAIAH W. WILLITTS

CO. H]

[Illustration: SECOND LIEUT. D. R. MELLICK

CO. E]

Proceeding now with my narrative, we were evidently in a fearful
slaughter-pen. Our men were being swept away as by a terrific whirlwind.
The ground was soft and spongy from recent rains, and our faces and
clothes were bespattered with mud from bullets and fragments of shells
striking the ground about us, whilst men were every moment being hit by
the storm of projectiles that filled the air. In the midst of that
frightful carnage a man rushing by grasped my hand and spoke. I turned
and looked into the face of a friend from a distant city. There was a
glance of recognition and he was swept away. What his fate was I do not
know.

That same moment I received what was supposed to be my death wound.
Whilst the men were lying down, my duties kept me on my feet. Lieutenant
Charles McDougal,[D] commanding the color company, called to me that the
color-guard were all either killed or wounded. We had two stands of
colors, the national and State flags. These colors were carried by two
color-sergeants, protected by six color-corporals, which made up the
color-guard. If either sergeant became disabled the nearest corporal
took the colors, and so on until the color-guard were down. This was the
condition when this officer called to me to replace these disabled men,
so that the colors should be kept flying. He had one fla