ging it close, the rebel shot and shell went over us.

[1] Some years after this sketch was written I ascertained
that this battery was Richardson's, Co. D, 1st Missouri Light
Artillery.

It was here, at about ten o'clock in the morning, that I first saw
Grant that day. He was on horseback, of course, accompanied by his
staff, and was evidently making a personal examination of his
lines. He went by us in a gallop, riding between us and the
battery, at the head of his staff. The battery was then hotly
engaged; shot and shell were whizzing overhead, and cutting off the
limbs of trees, but Grant rode through the storm with perfect
indifference, seemingly paying no more attention to the missiles
than if they had been paper wads.

We remained in support of this battery until about 2 o'clock in the
afternoon. We were then put in motion by the right flank, filed to
the left, crossed the left-hand Corinth road; then we were thrown
into the line by the command: "By the left flank, march." We
crossed a little ravine and up a slope, and relieved a regiment on
the left of Hurlbut's line. This line was desperately engaged, and
had been at this point, as we afterwards learned, for fully four
hours. I remember as we went up the slope and began firing, about
the first thing that met my gaze was what out West we would call a
"windrow" of dead men in blue; some doubled up face downward,
others with their white faces upturned to the sky, brave boys who
had been shot to death in "holding the line." Here we stayed until
our last cartridge was shot away. We were then relieved by another
regiment. We filled our cartridge boxes again and went back to the
support of our battery. The boys laid down and talked in low tones.
Many of our comrades alive and well an hour ago, we had left dead
on that bloody ridge. And still the battle raged. From right to
left, everywhere, it was one never-ending, terrible roar, with no
prospect of stopping.

Somewhere between 4 and 5 o'clock, as near as I can tell,
everything became ominously quiet. Our battery ceased firing; the
gunners leaned against the pieces and talked and laughed. Suddenly
a staff officer rode up and said something in a low tone to the
commander of the battery, then rode to our colonel and said
something to him. The battery ho