y still confronted us when we began fighting. It
seemed to be the same old tactics that had been played for the last two
days, except that it was a little fiercer.

Among the killed that day was a handsome young colonel of one of the
regiments of our brigade. His name was Collins. I think he was a
Georgian.

He was always dressed as if he were going to a reception. His
complexion was as fair as a woman's. His hair was light. He habitually
wore a clean white collar and a bright new uniform (something unusual
among soldiers in the midst of an active campaign), but "death loves a
shining mark," and he was taken off.

About 10 o'clock in the morning our cavalry was withdrawn from the
front, and going back to our led horses we mounted and slowly rode back
toward Spottsylvania Courthouse.

The country here was different from where we had been fighting the two
days previous. Much of it was open fields, and the timbered part of it
was not encumbered with undergrowth.

As we slowly fell back we looked behind us and saw a gorgeous sight. It
was Grant's line of battle moving forward as if on "Dress Parade," their
brass buttons and steel guns with fixed bayonets glistening in the sun,
with their banners floating in the breeze. The first thought among the
private soldiers was, "Has Grant stolen a march on Lee, and is Richmond
doomed?" It certainly looked so at this moment, but we kept on falling
back.

As we entered the woods we suddenly came upon Lee's infantry lying down
in line of battle waiting the enemy's advance. As we approached them,
word was passed up and down the line not to cheer the infantry. This was
the custom in the face of a battle when the cavalry, retiring from the
front, gave way to the infantry.

They opened their ranks and let us pass through, and we formed in line
some distance behind them. The infantry was entirely concealed from the
enemy's view, and up to this time I am quite sure that Grant did not
know that he was facing Lee's army at Spottsylvania Courthouse. But he
was soon to be undeceived in a manner most tragic.

Lee's infantry waited until the enemy was within 100 yards, and then,
rising to their feet, poured a volley into their ranks that brought many
of them to the ground, and sent the others back from whence they came.
This was only the beginning of the battle.

Leaving the infantry to take care of that part of the field, the cavalry
was moved a mile to the right and again dismounted, a