as many more were
wounded but not fatally. The enemy suffered even more severely. The
brigade lost forty-one killed--eighteen in the Sixth; thirteen in the
Fifth; five in the First and five in the Seventh. The losses of the
Fifth in officers and men wounded but not fatally were larger than those
in the Sixth, the total of killed and wounded aggregating something like
fifty in the regiment. The First, though it did not meet with so sturdy
a resistance in its immediate front, was able to work around the flank
of the enemy, thus materially aiding in breaking their spirit and
putting them to rout.

Some of the South Carolina men exhibited a foolhardy courage never seen
anywhere else so far as my knowledge extends.

"Surrender," said Sergeant Avery to one of them who had just discharged
his piece and was holding it still smoking in his hands.

"I have no orders to surrender, ---- you," returned the undaunted
confederate.

He surrendered, not his person, but his life. Such a fate befell more
than one of those intrepid heroes. It was a pity but it was war and "war
is hell." The enemy's line, at that time, had been driven beyond the
woods into a clearing where was a house. While crossing a shallow ravine
before reaching the house it was noticed that shots were coming from the
rear. An officer with a troop was ordered back to investigate. It was
found that at the first onset the regiment had obliqued slightly to the
right, thus leaving an interval between the left flank and the road in
consequence of which about fifteen confederates had been passed
unnoticed. Some of them had the temerity to begin giving us a fire in
the rear. They were all made prisoners.

The force in front was driven from the field, leaving their dead and
wounded. Eighty-three dead confederates were counted by those whose duty
it was to bury the dead and care for the wounded in the field and woods
through which the Michigan men charged. Those who were killed in front
of the Sixth Michigan were South Carolinians from Charleston and
evidently of the best blood in that historic city and commonwealth. They
were well dressed and their apparel, from outer garments to the white
stockings on their feet, was clean and of fine texture. In their pockets
they had plenty of silver money.

In this engagement, as well as in that at Hanovertown the day before,
the Fifth Michigan was commanded by Captain Magoffin, Colonel Alger
having remained at White House for a few