icket
line was forced back before this impetuous charge, the pickets
retreating to the main line.

The Thirty-third New York held the principal part of the picket line,
but two companies from the Forty-ninth Pennsylvania of Hancock's
brigade, and a detachment from the Seventy-seventh New York also guarded
a part of the line in front of the Second division.

A part of the detachment from the Seventy-seventh held a small advance
redoubt or lunette which had been thrown up by Hancock's men. Over this
work the rebels rushed, unmindful of the bullets sent by the
skirmishers, and the guard was compelled to retreat in haste.

But all did not leave that picket line.

One youth, as brave a boy as ever shouldered a musket, John Ham, of the
Seventy-seventh regiment, had sworn never to retreat before the enemy.
Faithful to his word, when the handful of pickets were compelled to
retreat (and this was the first time that any part of his regiment had
ever fallen back before the enemy), he stood his ground, loading and
firing as rapidly as possible, alone defending the redoubt!

The rebels pressed upon him, and he fell riddled with bullets. When,
later in the day, we had driven the confederates back to their works, we
recovered his body, pierced by bullets and bayonets.

As the rebels neared our main line of battle, they were met by a
withering fire from our men, and, after maintaining the contest for a
few moments, they broke and fled in confusion, leaving the ground
thickly strewed with dead and wounded. Not satisfied with this repulse,
they reformed and came on again; this time with less audacity than at
first. Again a murderous fire compelled them to fall back, leaving more
of their number on the field. Among their wounded was Colonel Lamar, who
was in command of the charging regiments.

He was brought into our lines by Sergeant Bemis and another soldier of
the Seventy-seventh. He had been formerly a mischievous member of
congress from Georgia.

The final repulse of the rebels was made more complete and more fatal to
them by the timely aid of a section of Mott's battery, which had come up
and opened an enfilading fire upon them from the left. Joyous cheers
went up from our men as they saw the rebels fleeing in all directions,
and it was only by the peremptory orders of their commanders that they
were restrained from following the flying enemy.

A company of about fifteen rebels threw out a white flag and voluntarily
surr