n of his staff, seeing what he was about to do, tried to
stop him, saying--"General you should not go into the engagement in this
way. Remember, your life is worth a whole regiment to the army." Turning
to him like a flash, Gen. Kearny said--"If you do not want to go, stay
here." At that he reined his horse into the road and started toward the
Confederate lines, waving his sword and shouting back--"Come on boys!" and
every man followed, on both sides of the road, pell mell, without order,
wading through mud and climbing through slashings up to the rifle pits in
order to get there. How I came to be there I do not know, but I do know
that I went up that road with my right shoulder next to Gen. Kearny's left
stirrup and kept that position until he reached the further edge of the
slashing, when he turned and, pointing to the Confederates in their rifle
pits, shouted to the men coming after him--"There they are!! Give them
hell, boys, give them hell!!"

At this moment, as if by inspiration, a band burst forth with the tune,
"All hail, the conquering hero comes." Above the roar of musketry and
cannonading came the cheers from the charge Hancock was making. The New
Jersey boys again manned their battery and began to play on the rifle pits
and on Fort Magruder. The Fort answered and every Confederate rifle in the
pits was speaking to us. No one who lived through those moments of strife
and sacrifice will ever forget the scenes, the exaltation and the devotion
of life to patriotic duty that was there manifested.

Our men struggled through the slashings as best they could, in groups of
two or more. A New Jersey boy was with me. We stopped behind a clump of
small bushes to watch our chances with the Confederates in the rifle pits
less than two hundred feet in front of us. There was a larger group to our
left that attracted the attention of the Confederates. Shots were being
exchanged as rapidly as heads appeared on either side. Suddenly, out from
the group to our left, came a ringing laugh, as joyous and care-free as
was ever heard at a base ball game. My comrade was possessed with a
desire to know its cause. Shortly that laugh came again. He declared he
would go and find out why they were laughing. I told him if he stirred he
would be shot, but he made the attempt. As soon as he raised himself,
before he had taken a step, he was shot and instantly killed. Attention
having been thus called to the spot, a confederate volley was fire