line, but
where the Union army was I have not the remotest idea. Occasionally a
brigade would be sent into the wood, down to our right center, would be
cut to pieces and come out again. General Reno did not leave us for a
moment.

At about noon three batteries of artillery came up onto the hill and we
took position in their rear as their support. A little later in the
afternoon, the first brigade of our division, was sent into the wood on
our right center, but soon came out broken and mangled and they were
followed by the Johnnies, who pressed forward to capture the artillery in
our front, but the artillery was too much for them. They in turn were sent
back in confusion. Then the Johnnies massed a lot of artillery in our
front and opened fire on the batteries we were supporting, and for an hour
or an hour and a half the shot and shell came over there thick and fast
and more of it. Two cannon of our batteries were dismounted, one
ammunition caisson was blown up and a number of horses were killed. We
were right in range, and got the full benefit of it. This was one of the
instances where we were under fire but could do nothing ourselves, but lay
there and take it--every fellow trying to see how close to the ground he
could get.

Toward evening we were ordered in; the brigade was moved down onto the
slope in front of the artillery, then we halted. We remained there a
little while and returned to our place in the rear of the batteries. We
were told General Reno had seen General Pope, and had convinced him that
to send our brigade in there unsupported would be needless slaughter. Just
at dusk we witnessed off to our left a minor action that characterized the
whole battle. A battery of artillery was placed on some raised ground and
was firing away; it was supported by a single regiment of infantry. All at
once we saw a Confederate line of pickets creeping up on the battery. By
picking off the gunners they soon had the battery silenced. Then a strong
line of Confederate infantry advanced; the regiment of infantry in support
moved forward, but they were dispersed and the battery was taken. Thus
ended the first day's fight so far as we saw it.

After that, we drew back a little way and had some supper; some of the
boys made fires and cooked some coffee. One of them while standing over
the fire, his legs spread apart fixing his coffee cup, had the cup knocked
from his hand. A Johnny sharpshooter had fired from a distance at th