CAPTURE OF COL. LUCE AND HIS MEN. 301

Col. Corning's horse--a magnificent animal-was shot from under him, as he was fearlessly charg ing up the hill with the Regiment. While passing through the woods below, Capt. Draime discovered a party of rebels a short way off, and taking a few of his men started after them. He returned after the redoubt was taken, bringing with him Col. Luce of the Eighteenth Mississippi, and one Captain, four Lieutenants and thirty-eight privates, belonging to the same regiment. Capt. Tyler narrowly escaped, having his clothing perforated eleven different times with bullets. It seemed almost a miracle that any of the officers or men could have passed through such a fiery ordeal unscathed.

14

302

A BLOODY BATTLE SUNDAY EVENING.

CHAPTER XXXII.

BATTLES OF SALEM HEIGHTS.

AFTER resting for a brief period on the summit of the Heights, the Corps pushed rapidly up the turnpike leading to Chancellorsville, no effort being made to take possession of the still higher ridge at the left, to which a portion of the enemy had retreated, and were now tossing an occasional shell at us. The country presented a beautiful appearance, with its green meadows and vast fields of cereals stretching out in every direction. Gen. Brooks' Division, which now took the advance, moved rapidly forward, but instead of meeting with Hooker's pickets, encountered a heavy force of the enemy, about four miles ahead, near Salem. They were concealed in a forest, into which our infantry were imprudently advanced before it was shelled. The rebels immediately rose from their masked position, and delivered a murderous fire. Gen. Brooks quickly formed his men in line, and soon became hotly engaged. While the conflict was at its height, a body of the enemy suddenly opened upon him from the left, and he changed front to meet them. The battle now became very sanguinary, the rebels rapidly thinning our ranks with their cross fire.

A FATAL BLUNDER.

303

Darkness came to our relief and the fighting ceased, not, however, before we had lost twelve hundred men. Seven hundred of this number belonged to Bartlett's Brigade—consisting of the Twenty-seventh New York, among other Regiments,—who fell in twenty minutes time. The woods afterwards took fire from our shells, and many of the wounded belonging to both parties perished in the flames.

The little army slept soundly that night after the arduous duties of the day. But there were many, officers as well as men who lay down to rest with serious apprehensions of the morrow. No troops. had been thrown forward to occupy the higher ridge at our left. What should prevent the enemy from circling round under cover of night to this crest, and descending get between us and the captured but now abandoned Heights in the rear?

The dawn of Monday proved how well grounded had been these fears. At eight o'clock a heavy rebel column was observed streaming down the mountain side, and pushing rapidly for Marye's Heights. Not a picket had been thrown out to give warning of their approach, or a single gun to sweep the gully. through which they had to pass. A scene of utmost confusion now ensued. The road leading from the city out to the army was crowded with straggling soldiers, going on to rejoin their Regiments, supplyi wagons, ammunition trains and ambulances filled with wounded from the previous evening's. fight.. The soldiers scattered through the fields in all direc tions. The teamsters and ambulance drivers dashed