t as soon as the
boats should reach the other shore, the men should form line and advance.
Not, however, until the boats took over loads of men the second time was
the advance made. Then they formed line and went forward and the
sharpshooters were driven from the waterfront. The bridge was completed at
about four o'clock, and troops began to move across the river. The city
was cleared of Rebels that night, they falling back to the heights beyond.
We, however, went back to our old camp on the east side of the river for
the night. About noon I went over and took a look at the incompleted
bridge. There were two or three dead men lying stretched out at the
farther end of the bridge where the Confederate sharpshooters had stopped
the work.

General Woodbury with a corps of engineers had charge of the laying of the
pontoon bridge. They were supported by parts of four regiments--the 7th
Michigan, the 19th and 20th Massachusetts, and the 50th New York. The men
from the 50th New York had charge of the boats at the time of the charge,
and the attack was made by the men from the 7th Michigan and the 19th and
20th Massachusetts.

December 12. We left camp leisurely and marched down to the river, crossed
the bridge, moved down beside the river and halted. As we reached the
further end of the bridge, who should I find there looking for me, but my
brother Vertulan. He was assistant surgeon of the 19th Massachusetts
Regiment, a part of which regiment had been in the charge, in the boats,
the day before, he going over with the second lot of boat-loads.

The early morning was foggy and we got over there under cover of the fog
without exposure; but soon the fog cleared. Then the Johnnies'
artillerymen had a good view of the approach to the bridge for a short
distance. They soon got their range and were able to drop shells in there
with considerable accuracy, doing more or less damage. We remained there
under the river bank all day and all the next night.

December 13. Now comes the fight. About ten o'clock we moved out through
the city and formed line of battle on the other side, and there we waited
until past noon. Then we moved forward. The field across which we charged
must have been from half to three-quarters of a mile wide. Before we
reached the foot of the range of hills which, at that point were called
Mary's Heights, we lost heavily in crossing that field.

When about half way across the field, Sergeant Collins, the color bea