us conflict. Presently the long
roll was heard from the regiments on our right. A staff officer came
galloping up, spoke a word to the Major in command, the order to fall
in was shouted, the drummers began to beat the long roll, and it was
taken up by the regiments on our left. The men, with pale faces, wild
eyes, compressed lips, quickly accoutered themselves for battle. The
shouts of the officers, the rolling of the drums, the hurrying to and
fro of the men, the uproar of approaching but unexpected battle, all
together produced sensations which cannot be described. Soon, teams
with shouting drivers came tearing along the road toward the landing.
Crowds of fugitives and men slightly wounded went hurrying past in the
same direction. Uproar and turmoil were all around; but we, having got
into line, stood quietly with scarcely a word spoken. Each man was
struggling with himself and nerving himself for what bid fair to be a
dreadful conflict. What thoughts of home and kindred and all that makes
life dear come to one at such a moment.

Presently a staff officer rode up, the command to march was given, and
with the movement came some relief to the mental and moral strain. As
we passed in front of the Forty-first Illinois, a field officer of that
regiment, in a clear, ringing voice, was speaking to his men, and
announced that if any man left the ranks on pretense of caring for the
wounded he should be shot on the spot; that the wounded must be left
till the fight was over. His men cheered him, and we took up the cheer.
Blood was beginning to flow through our veins again, and we could even
comment to one another upon the sneaks who remained in camp, on
pretense of being sick. As we moved toward the front the fugitives and
the wounded increased in numbers. Poor wretches, horribly mutilated,
would drop down, unable to go farther. Wagons full of wounded, filling
the air with their groans, went hurrying by. As we approached the scene
of conflict, we moved off to the left of the line of the rear-ward
going crowd, crossed a small field and halted in the open woods beyond.
As we halted, we saw right in front of us, but about three hundred or
four hundred yards off, a dense line of Confederate infantry, quietly
standing in ranks. In our excitement, and without a word of command, we
turned loose and with our smooth bore muskets opened fire upon them.
After three or four rounds, the absurdity of firing at the enemy at
that distance with