woods a short distance to our front. During this time we hastily changed front in form of a semi-circle to protect us from flank attack. This movement was executed none too soon, as the enemy came immediately to the attack, and a sharp engagement opened all along the line, which was a hot one, yet it gallantly held its own until the balance of its division came up. Forming in bolumn with us, we advance on the rebel line and drive them slowly back.

The battle now became fierce and our assaults were heroically met. Generals Hooker and Geary were present and ordered the attack, the plan of which was to advance lines and fire, to be followed by bayonet charges, by which the enemy was steadily driven back. Our front line was frequently relieved by columns from the rear, thus keeping fresh men at the front. Geary's division alone had driven Hood's rebel corps back to the forks of the road at New Hope church, when Butterfield's Third division arrived and took position on our left. Soon after, Williams came up with the First division and passed to the front, which allowed the Second division to drop in the reserve long enough to clean our firearms and replenish cartridge-boxes, when we again advance in support of the First and Third divisions.

Just as the sun disappeared in the western horizon, General Geary ordered the First brigade to charge the enemy. This movement was executed on the doublequick, and as our columns passed in perfect alignment to the front, Butterfield's and Williams' commands greeted us with hearty cheers of genuine admiration. Onward the column rushes, and closing with the enemy delivers a terrible volley. The charge is continued, the air resounding with defiant cheers as the enemy is driven from the field and down a hill at a brisk run. It was

143175

now beginning to grow dark, and the impetuous rush of the men soon brought them within a short distance of a line of brush-covered work which concealed the enemy's batteries, who at once opened a terrific and deadly fire of grape and canister into our ranks. Instantly falling on the ground, we deliver so destructive a fire on their cannoniers that their guns are soon silenced. Our left being without support, an attempt to carry their works was extremely hazardous. The regiment on our right had already retired some distance to our right rear, making the situation of the Twenty-ninth regiment one of great danger, but owing to the darkness we knew nothing of it until an officer of Geary's staff came forward with an order to fall back, when we retired to a position some forty paces from the rebel line.

The enemy had now ceased firing, and perfect silence reigned, only broken by the groans of the wounded and dying. The Twenty-ninth regiment had suffered severe loss, and only the favorable depression in its front saved it from annihilation. W. F. Stevens, captain of company B, was wounded in this action.

The Fifth Ohio, on our right on higher ground, suffered fearfully from the masked batteries, one company being almost entirely decimated. This caused the regiment to retire to the knoll. Colonel Patrick, a most gallant officer of the Fifth, was killed, also seventy-five of his men killed and wounded. The loss of the Twenty-ninth Ohio in this charge was forty killed and wounded, shot down in almost the short space of time required to record it.

It was not long before we heard tremendous cheering in the distance on our right front, which was caused by Sherman moving a force in that direction, turning the rebel flank, which was soon in full retreat. Immediately

after, sounds were heard in the supposed deserted rebel works, which we believed were our own men who had recently occupied them, and by reason of this supposed safety our whole command was soon in slumber deep and heavy from exhaustion of the day's labor.

At early dawn on May 26th the enemy discovered our close proximity, and at once opened upon us with artil. lery, and at about the same time advanced its infantry to attack us in our rear. This movement was discovered, however, in time to prevent its further progress. After a hot fight the enemy retired to his fortifications. During the day several attempts were made in the same direction, but without effect. Near the close of the day we were temporarily relieved and retired to a ravine a few yards in our rear, where we received rations, the first "square meal" in two days.

At an early hour the following morning (May 27th) our artillery took position at the breastworks and opened a furious cannonading, which is replied to with spirit by the rebel batteries. During the afternoon the enemy. made a sortie on our line, a general engagement ensued, and the rebels were beaten back. The Twenty-ninth regiment loss was slight, we being well protected by rifle pits. The rebel loss in this attack was severe, their dead and wounded being thickly strewn in front of our works. During this attack General Sherman and staff took position in our rear. General Hooker is generally where the bullets fly thickest, and his utter disregard of danger has won the love of the "boys," who call him "Uncle Joe," and who are all, at any time, ready to go through fire if he so desires, knowing he will not ask them to go where he fears to lead.

The battle continues throughout the following day, with brisk infantry firing and heavy cannonading almost

incessantly. As night again shrouds the bloody field the Twenty-ninth regiment, with the exception of company B, which was on the skirmish line, relieved the Seventh Ohio, One Hundred and Ninth, and One Hundred and Forty-seventh Pennsylvania. The rebels were unusually quiet during the night. Company B remained on the skirmish nearly all of the following day and was kept hotly engaged. The company's position was not more than eight rods from the rebel outposts, who made it extremely hot for us as we went back and forth to the relief of our comrades, and sometimes unsoldierly attitudes. were assumed to evade their deadly aim. Late in the day company B was relieved. Henry Brainard, Spencer Atkin, and Henry Clark volunteered to go out and bring in the bodies of Albert Atkin, C. A. Davis, and Jerome Phinney, which they did, the enemy opening fire upon them with musketry and artillery, the deadly missiles flying thick and fast about them. Such was the treatment of the "chivalry" to men bravely exposing themselves to give Christian interment to the gallant men who had fought their last battle. However, none were injured. While performing the last sad rites of burial, the rebels. came out in a sortie and made furious assaults along our entire line. Our men reserved their fire until the enemy were close upon them, when, at a given signal, some twenty cannon, double shotted with grape, opened fire, which made the earth tremble with their awful thunder, while the infantry sent deadly volleys into their ranks. The result of this fire was most terrible slaughter to the enemy, who broke and ran anywhere to cover, leaving several hundred dead and dying behind, the ground between the two lines being literally covered with the rebel dead. During the 30th there were several sharp fights, our regiment having several men wounded. May

31st the regiment was under fire, as usual, the greater part of the day, and at night was engaged in the construction of an advanced line of works, under a heavy fire from the entire rebel line. Before they were fully completed the rebels commenced an attack and we fell back on the main line. General Geary being present, exclaimed, "Get back to your command in readiness for an engagement." One ensued, which resulted in driving the enemy back with severe loss to them. We now resumed work and finally succeeded in completing the line, though continually annoyed by the enemy's firing.

On the morning of June 1st the regiment resumed its place on the front line and was soon furiously engaged, which continued during the fore part of the day. At noon the Twentieth corps was relieved by Logan's Fifteenth corps and moved to the left as support to the Fourth corps (General Howard). The following morning we moved towards the left and at 11 o'clock A. M. formed line and pushed forward in concert with Schofield's Twenty-third corps. We capture two lines of rebel works, the enemy falling back. That night we slept on our arms. At dawn on the 3d we advanced and were soon engaged with the enemy, the skirmishing along our whole line being very strong. During the day Sherman succeeded in turning the rebel right, causing him to retire with severe loss. Twenty-ninth loss: Killed, six; wounded, twenty-four; captured, one; total thirty-one. This is the tenth day we have been under fire. 4th.-Firing during all of last night. All quiet to-day.