of the
51st. We then came upon a line of Johnnies. We, thinking them to be the
51st, did not open fire until we received a most murderous fire from
them. In the meantime a heavy thunderstorm had come up, and we were
soaked to our skins. My gun went all right the first time, but it was
impossible to load it in such a downpour. I then got out my revolver and
fired away with that. Every one who had a revolver fell back on that when
his gun refused fire I expect. Captain Walcott seeing his men could not
keep up much of a fire drew his revolver, stepped in front of his company
and opened fire. When he had emptied his revolver he glanced around for
his men,--they had gone. It was the same in all the companies, with their
guns out of order, they could do nothing but fall back. We left a lot of
poor fellows in that wood for whom nothing could be done but to bury their
lifeless bodies. A little way back we re-formed and marched back to the
edge of the wood.

As we emerged from the wood General Phil Kearney rode up and ordered us to
advance through the fields to the left of the wood we had just come out
of, without a moment in which to put our guns in order. By that time it
had stopped raining and the colonel begged for a few minutes that the men
might put their guns in order, but without avail. Kearney could not be
reasoned with and swore that if we did not move at once he would have the
regiment put under arrest, and forward we went. It was then getting dark,
and all we could see was lines of fire off to the left; we soon entered a
cornfield and marched nearly through it. At the farther side was a
Virginia rail-fence, beyond that, was a pasture half grown up. As we
arrived within three or four rods of the rail-fence the order was given to
halt and no sooner did we halt than the enemy opened fire from behind the
rail-fence. What could we do? Not one in ten of our muskets was
serviceable. Those who had revolvers used them; I used mine for the second
time that day. We stood there a minute or two and then we retreated. When
the Johnnies saw we were unable to return their fire they appreciated the
situation and over and through the fence they came to capture prisoners,
and before I knew it one of them was quite near me shouting: "Halt, throw
down your gun," etc. But I did not halt, nor did I throw down my gun, but
I did run and he ran after me. I soon decided in my mind that he was not
gaining on me, then I thought I was increasing