r in that department. Among the
earliest of the wounded was General Vinton, commanding the Third
brigade, Second division. A ball had passed into the abdomen, and was
cut out from his back. The unfortunate men were stowed in every part of
the great house, and in the smaller buildings surrounding it, and tents
furnished shelter for those unable to find room in the buildings. After
General Vinton was wounded, Brigadier-General Thomas H. Neill was
ordered to assume the command of our brigade, which he did on the
battle-field.

Meanwhile, on the right, Sumner's and Hooker's forces were striving,
with herculean efforts, to dislodge the enemy from his strongholds, but
to no avail. His position was impregnable, and the Union forces only
advanced against the works to meet with deadly repulse from the savage
fire of the concealed foe, and to fall back with fearful losses. Thus
the struggle lasted until evening, when the roar of battle was hushed,
and our tired troops slumbered upon their arms.

On Sunday morning the rattle of musketry and the thunder of artillery
commenced again, but, as little reply was made by the enemy, the
demonstration on our part soon ceased, and the day was spent in
comparative quiet. It was said that General Burnside, unwilling to give
up the struggle, had ordered an advance of the Ninth corps, which he was
personally to lead, against one of the rebel strongholds, but that he
had yielded to the advice of the grand division commanders to refrain
from the attempt.

Monday still found us on the battle-field. The thumping of artillery was
renewed, but not fiercely. Our wounded were removed to the other side of
the river. A kind providence had favored them, for the weather had been
delightful. Had such weather prevailed as we experienced a few days
before, many of the wounded, faint and exhausted from the loss of blood,
must have perished with the cold. During the night the whole army was
withdrawn, with as much secrecy as possible, across the pontoon bridges.
No sooner had the troops crossed to the north side of the river than the
bridges were taken up, and the two armies were again separated by the
Rappahannock. As the bridges were being taken up, the rebels rushed to
the bank and fired into the pontoniers, but were repelled by the men of
the Seventy-seventh New York. That regiment formed a picket line along
the bank of the river, but were ordered not to fire unless the enemy
did. "A pretty order," said