e proximity to the swamp.

The Chickahominy wound its doubtful course among multitudes of islands
scarcely raised above the surface, yet covered with trees, shrubs and
vines in profusion, within a few rods of our camp. Beyond us, in our
front, were forests of luxuriant growths of trees and climbing shrubs,
and the country all about us was interrupted with rank growth of timber.
The division at once proceeded, as did all the other divisions in the
army, to throw up earthworks; making slow advances at certain points by
pushing these works further toward the front. On the 18th, we were
joined by the other division, Slocum's. The Sixth corps now formed the
right of the new line of battle on the south of the river. The line
reached from Golden's Farm to Fair Oaks. Day and night the men worked at
the breastworks and bridges. One-third of the army was employed
constantly at these works, and the immense lines of intrenchments were
marvels of achievements in engineering. These were all constructed under
the fire of the enemy; no day passing without its skirmish. Soldiers
were daily brought to the hospitals with wounds, even in the most quiet
times.

Everything combined to exhaust the energies of the men and produce
fevers, diarrheas and scurvy. Day after day the men worked under a
burning sun, throwing up the immense walls of earth, or toiled standing
to their waists in water, building bridges. Night after night they were
called to arms, to resist some threatened attack of the enemy. Their
clothing and tents were drenched with frequent rains, and they often
slept in beds of mud. With the hot weather, the malaria became more and
more deadly. The whole country was alternately overflowed and drained;
and the swamps were reeking with the poisoned air. The hospitals became
daily more crowded. The strongest were constantly falling. Diarrhea,
typhoid fever, and other miasmatic maladies, became almost universal.
Men who worked at the breastworks one day would be found in the
hospitals on the next, burning with fever, tormented with insatiable
thirst, racked with pains, or wild with delirium; their parched lips,
and teeth blackened with sordes, the hot breath and sunken eyes, the
sallow skin and trembling pulse, all telling of the violent workings of
these diseases.

Day after day, scores of brave men, who had left their northern homes to
aid in the hour of their country's need, were borne to lowly graves
along the banks of that fatal