Carolina.) Seven field-batteries were attached. The whole strength of the command was not far from thirty thousand, on paper. About fourteen thousand were engaged in the battles around Richmond.

On the evening of the 25th of June, (Wednesday,) Gregg's brigade received orders to prepare for the march. Soon after dark we were put in motion, marching nearly parallel with, and up the Chickahominy, in the general direction of Meadow Bridge. The Fourteenth regiment was left on picket on the Chickahominy. After a march of several hours through almost inextricable by-roads, we were halted near the bridge just mentioned, but entirely out of view of the enemy. Here we lay during the remainder of the night, and until about three o'clock the next day. It is well known that the plan of operations was for Gen. Jackson with his command, coming from the valley, to strike the enemy in the rear, (or rather on the right flank, as it would become to us,) while A. P. Hill's division should cross the Chickahominy and push down the right flank, or, as I would call it, the flank front, could I coin a term. The line of McClellan extended to Meadow Bridge, although there were no works west of the village of Mechanicsville, and few troops. Branch's brigade was to cross the Chickahominy seven miles above the bridge.

At three P. M. on the 26th, Hill crossed Meadow Bridge, Field's brigade leading, and driving the feeble force that resisted. Gregg's brigade followed Field's, then Pender's. We filed to the right, crossing the Central railroad, and pursuing the enemy, who fell back to Mechanicsville. The battle was opened by the enemy's concentrating a heavyfire of artillery on Field's brigade, which, however, was soon thrown into line of battle and drove them from Mechanicsville.

Our brigade was here saluted with its first shell. Some stray ones, it is true, had passed into the neighborhood of our camp at Smith's farm, during the occasional artillery duels there, but these were the first that fell actually among

us.

We were marching by the flank, in full view of the enemy's batteries, Field's line moving up to the attack in front, when the fire opened upon us. It seemed to us that the shell ricochetted and slipped through us in a truly

miraculous manner! The brigade, being intended for reserve, was moved behind the hills, and remained there during the remainder of the evening and all night. The fire was very heavy, both of artillery and small arms, but particularly of the former. There were, however, very few casualties in the brigade, not more than ten or twelve, probably.

At dawn, on Friday, 27th, our brigade was put in the advance and ordered to drive the enemy from their defences on Beaver Dam creek, at Ellyson's Mills, the attack of the evening before having failed to dislodge them. The brigade was formed thus: the First regiment on the right, the Twelfth on the left, these two constituting the first line the Rifle regiment and the Thirteenth regiment following them, respectively, as support. The enemy abandoned the position, though one of great natural strength, and highly improved by earth-works, without even a respectable skirmish, and we passed on over the dead and wounded bodies of our comrades who had fallen in the unsuccessful assault of the previous evening. Soon after the passage of the creek we entered the deserted camps of the enemy, where we found, besides great heaps of blazing commissary and quartermaster stores, piles of knapsacks, arms and accoutrements, &c., which, however, our ardor prevented us from pillaging as freely as we learned subsequently to do.

Longstreet's division had now crossed the Chickahominy and were moving down the river, about parallel with us.

While in the midst of the camps just mentioned we were fired upon by artillery, and two of the skirmishers in our front wounded. In a few moments the fire ceased, and we learned that Jackson was crossing before us. I remember that word was passed along the line that the hero of the valley was just across the open field from us, and that immediately we sent up that shout of enthusiasm with which his presence was almost invariably greeted. It appeared that the enemy had learned his approach on their flank and retired, in consequence of which he had pressed on to our very front. There he had signalled us, but receiving no reply, and being unable to distinguish our colors or uniform, had fired upon us for the enemy.

Pursuing our march, for perhaps two miles, we came to Gaines' Mill, on Powhite creek. Jackson's army had gone to our left. Here two companies from the First regiment and one from the Twelfth were sent forward as skirmishers against the enemy opposing our advance. The First and Twelfth regiments were formed in line, and the skirmishers ordered to charge against the enemy. They did so, under a sharp fire, at a double-quick, and the two regiments moved over the crest of the hill and opened upon the Federal line which occupied the opposite elevation across the creek. The latter fled almost at once, inflicting a trifling loss upon us.

The bridge, previously destroyed by them, was repaired, and the brigade crossed, partly on it, partly on the dam above the mill. We refreshed ourselves with liquors and provisions left by the enemy in and around the mill. I have heard that an officer on Gen. Hill's staff subsequently captured twenty-five prisoners in the mill, which we were so careless as not to search!

After a brief rest, we moved forward and drove a strong skirmish from a pine-thicket just beyond the mill, at the double-quick. A brigade commander in our division afterwards said that it was the most beautiful advance he had. ever seen. I remember a rather amusing incident that occurred here. We shot down several of the enemy as they retreated across the open field; but one of them, after lying a moment, rose and attempted to follow his flying comrades. By this time the uninjured ones had passed out of sight; so this unfortunate was left to the fire of our whole line. The excitement became intense. A perfect shower of balls was hurled after him, striking up the dust before, behind, and all around him. But still he staggered on, striving but the more vigorously as the danger increased. Cries of "Kill him!" "Shoot him!" "Down with the fellow!" and others of rougher cast, resounded from every side; but shoot as we would, he succeeded in reaching a clump of pines, where we found him soon after, exhausted by fatigue and loss of blood.

It was now after two o'clock P. M. The brigade was in the two lines before described. Advancing some two or three hundred yards, we discovered the table-ground to

descend to a deep, wet ravine, on the opposite side of which, upon an eminence, was drawn up a line of Federal infantry. We could see an officer riding up and down it, apparently giving directions or encouragement to his men. A battery soon opened upon us, whose fire we received lying down. Their practice was pretty good, but I know of only one man who was killed in the brigade. Crenshaw's battery replied to them, and with considerable effect, I judge, for their line of infantry had disappeared when we rose to resume the advance. Having reached and crossed the ravine, and driven off the slight force resisting the passage, we were ordered to lie down and rest. We were told that we were to charge a battery on the opposite hill, or rather, to capture it, for we were to succeed, of course. A growth of young pines concealed us from the enemy, who, however, kept up a slow, constant fire upon us. Here we lay for perhaps an hour, most of us sleeping soundly after the many hours of heat and fatigue. During this interval we heard Longstreet's guns, or the enemy's opposed to him, booming far back, almost behind us. Jackson was moving on our left, so as to strike the flank of the line we confronted. The Federal batteries and ours kept up a regular interchange of shots.

At length, about four o'clock, the advance was ordered. The First and Twelfth regiments pushed forward, through the pines and brambles, up the hill. The fire from both artillery and infantry, in front, and from the right oblique, proving too severe, Gen. Gregg ordered Col. Marshall, of the Rifles, to the right, to charge a battery there. The latter, forming his regiment in three lines-a skirmish line and its reserve, and a line of battle of six companies— advanced to the perilous undertaking. For several hundred yards this gallant charge was pushed. Although moving across an open field, with a murderous fire pouring into them from front and flank, they pressed on, driving back the line confronting them, and forcing the obnoxious battery to seek safety in flight. On reaching the wood on the opposite side of the field just mentioned, the regiment opened upon the enemy, fully repaying them for the injury they had caused them. It became a hand-to-hand fight, even bayonets and clubbed guns being used, it is said. A

heavy force of New York Zouaves now precipitated itself upon the left wing and flank of the Rifles. Even these were checked by the coolness and resolution of the men. Yet no support coming up, Col. Marshall was forced to withdraw his regiment to the cover of the woods in his rear and on the right of his original position. In this engagement the Rifle regiment, out of five hundred and thirty-seven men carried into action, lost eighty-one killed and two hundred and thirty-four wounded!

Meantime the First and Twelfth were hard pressed. Owing to the tangled nature of the ground, the Twelfth overlapped the left wing of the First, which created a good deal of confusion. Just as they were clearing the thicket the enemy's line rose on the eminence above them. Some one, imagining that the Rifles had pushed around that far, cried out that these were friends. The firing almost ceased, on our part, on the instant. Suddenly a volley from the whole Federal line burst upon us. It seemed to sweep the earth. In the First regiment the entire colorguard was shot down, and Col. Hamilton himself bore the colors for a time. Both regiments endeavored to advance, the Twelfth pushing out into the open space. But still the raking fire of the enemy drove them back in considerable disorder. So hotly pressed was the First, that Gen. Gregg ordered it to file out by the Thirteenth, which was directed to hold back the now exultant enemy. The Thirteenth did so, effectually.

At this juncture, the Fourteenth regiment, which, it will be remembered, was left beyond the Chickahominy, on picket, arrived. Hurrying across the valley, repairing a bridge near Friend's house, burned by the enemy, and advancing under a continuous fire of hostile artillery, Col. McGowan had brought forward his men to the battle. The guns of Crenshaw's battery ceased firing, to let them pass through; and then, though wearied with two days and three nights of outpost duty, and a rapid march of several miles under a June sun, they rushed forward, with a shout and at the double-quick, and drove back the confident enemy. Nor was this regiment satisfied with repulsing an advance. In conjunction with a North Carolina and a Georgia regiment (whose names I have never heard) they