the
greatest good humor. The condition of my company was typical of the
condition of all the other companies in the regiment as I saw, while
passing along the line inquiring into the fate of brother officers and
other friends. I also learned in a conversation the next day with Major
Coulter, who had been my old captain, and who was acting that night as
assistant adjutant-general of the brigade, that every other regiment of
the brigade had reformed in rear of the breastwork in the same way as the
Sixty-fourth Ohio, and that the brigade as an organization, had marched
from the vicinity of the cotton-gin when the order to retreat was executed
that night.

I never heard from any source any intimation contrary to the truth as I
have stated it until I read in 1882, with the most indignant surprise, in
Cox's book on this campaign, then recently published, his statement that
the brigades of Lane and Conrad rallied at the river but were not again
carried into action. When Cox made that statement he was more concerned
in patching up that fatal gap in the battle line of his own command
without any outside assistance, than he was in ascertaining the truth, and
he took that way to dispose of two entire brigades. In his first official
report, for he made two reports, Cox went to the other extreme for he then
stated that on the approach of the enemy the two brigades in front had
retired in a leisurely manner inside his line. "Leisurely" is so good in
that connection that it always brings a smile whenever I recall the
"leisurely" manner in which Conrad's brigade made its way back to Cox's
line. Moreover in a letter to General Wagner, written two days after the
battle, and inclosing a copy of a letter to General Thomas, urging the
promotion of Colonel Opdycke, Cox took occasion to express the opinion he
then held, based on his personal observation, of the conduct of Wagner's
entire division:

I desire also to express my admiration of the gallantry of your whole
command. Indeed an excess of bravery kept the two brigades a little
too long in front, so that the troops at the main line could not get
to firing upon the advancing enemy till they were uncomfortably near.

Soon after the regiment had reformed one of the drafted men of my company
was brought in from the ditch outside mortally wounded. No doubt he had
reached the ditch in too exhausted a condition to climb over the
breastwork and had lain out among the rebe