elieve
that this fire was very effective; for, upon visiting the spot during the
action of the Second Bull Run I found the trees thickly scarred at the
height where the shot would be likely to do the most execution.

We had with us a young man, who was hardly more than a mere boy, by the
name of Henry H. Stewart, who had been taken out from here by Captain
Reynolds to act as an orderly and guidon, who, while nearly every one else
was excited and everything was in confusion, preserved, apparently, the
utmost coolness, moving from point to point as calmly as if performing the
ordinary duties of parade, and it was not until I ordered him so to do
that he dismounted from his horse. But the coolest one of our number, and,
I believe, the coolest man on the field that day, was Sergeant G. Lyman
Dwight. When the storm of bullets was thickest and the rebel artillery
was delivering upon us its heaviest fire, Dwight would step aside from the
smoke from his gun, and seemed perfectly absorbed by the sublime and
magnificent spectacle. Once or twice he called my attention to the
glorious scene, but I was too much engaged and my mind was too much
occupied in thinking how we were to get out of the "glorious scene" to
take much pleasure in the observance of it. Dwight was associated with me,
more or less, during the whole war, and I found in his character more
admirable qualities than I ever found possessed by any other man, and the
objectionable qualities of his nature I could never discover. War had no
terrors for him, and his aesthetic taste found beauties to admire even
under the most adverse circumstances. When the leaden rain and iron hail
were thickest, I have known him to muse upon philosophy, and to repeat a
quotation from some favorite author applicable to the situation and
circumstances. He was quick and unerring, and no emergency could arise
that would deprive him of his full self-possession. This is digressing
from my subject, but my admiration for him was such, that I feel
justified in thus alluding to a life that was practically lost in the war,
though his death did not take place until within the past year.

About one or two hours after the engagement began, Captain Reynolds, with
Lieutenants Tompkins and Weeden, went off to the right of our position
with two guns, which were placed in position near the Doogan House, I
think, where they went earnestly at work. During their absence, Sergeant
John H. Hammond, of my section,