nauseous mess which we had swallowed, had saved our lives. "If you had eaten only a little," said he, "you would have died."

NOTES ON THE MAY CAMPAIGN ON THE JAMES RIVER.

As a part of the grand campaign against the rebel capital, it was determined to move a large force up the James River, simultaneously with the movement of Meade from the Rapidan. This force was gathered at Yorktown and Gloucester Point, during the month of April. The Tenth Corps was brought from the Department of the South, under command of Major-General Gillmore. It had been previously reorganized-or rather its organization was completed at Gloucester-and consisted of three divisions, commanded respectively by Brigadier-Generals Terry, Ames, and Turner. There were seven brigades in the corps, all commanded by colonels. The troops in the Department of Virginia and North Carolina, were concentrated, and the Eighteenth Corps was reorganized, and placed under command of Major-General W. F. Smith. There were two divisions, commanded by Brigadier-Generals Brooks and Weitzell, and four brigades, with Brigadier-Generals Heckman, Wistar, Burnham, and Marston as commanders. There was a fine force of artillery attached to each corps. A division of colored troops, under Brigadier-General Hinks, was organized at Hampton, and a magnificent division of cavalry, consisting of both white and colored troops, at Norfolk and Portsmouth, under command of General Kautz. This army was a splendid body of men, containing some of the best disciplined troops in the service, and all eager to have a share in giving the grand finishing stroke to the great Rebellion. Our destination was kept a profound secret. Whether we were to proceed up the York River to White House or West Point, or march up the Peninsula, or through Gloucester county to threaten the flank and rear of Lee's army, or whether we were to steam up the James to Harrison's Landing or City Point, none could tell. The rebels, of course, were as much puzzled as our own people, in regard to the point to be aimed at by this formidable force, which they knew was concentrating at Yorktown. On the 1st of May, one brigade of Turner's Division, under command of Colonel Henry, of the 4th Massachusetts, embarked on transports, and proceeded up the York River, and landed at West Point the next day. This was intended to conceal our real destination. This brigade remained there in rear of the earthworks erected by Gordon's Division in the spring of 1863, which were still in good condition, until the night of the 4th, when they re-embarked, descending the York on the 5th. An incident occurred

illustrating the murderous spirit of secessionism. A small party of men appeared near a house on the left bank of the river, and made signals to one of the gunboats accompanying the expedition. A boat was promptly lowered and sent to the shore. As it neared the landing, the party which had signalled fired a volley into the boat, killing one man instantly.

The main force was embarked during the day of the 4th, and that night dropped down the river, passed Fort Monroe and entered the James, convoyed by the fleet, under command of Rear-Admiral Lee. In the afternoon of the 5th, the expedition reached a landing at the junction of the James and Appomattox Rivers, a mile or two above City Point, and about twentytwo miles from Richmond, and twelve miles from Petersburg. There is no village there, and but two or three houses in the vicinity, but the tract of country is called Bermuda Hundreds. The troops were rapidly disembarked, and a portion of them moved out into the country. The signal stations of the enemy were captured, with the men of the signal corps, at several points. The colored troops of Hinks's Division were landed at two or three points on the north side of the James, and at City Point on the south side. The disembarkation of the troops at Bermuda Hundreds was completed on the 6th, the whole having arrived.

The Eighteenth Corps had advanced on the afternoon of the 5th, five or six miles toward the Richmond and Petersburg Railroad, its left resting on or near the Appomattox. In the morning of the 6th, one brigade from that corps moved on, and struck the railroad, a little north of the junction of the Walthal road with the Petersburg. Here a small body of the enemy was encountered, and a sharp skirmish ensued, in which the advantage was with the Union troops. The whole army, that evening, had taken up its position within about three miles of the railroad, and its lines reached from the James to the Appomattox, the Tenth Corps on the right and the Eighteenth on the left.

This was the position on the morning of the 7th-thirty-six hours after landing. The force had advanced but about seven or eight miles. There were many speculations and wonderings as to why we had not advanced rapidly, and struck vigorously all the points near us.

No intelligent person had the slightest suspicion that the main purpose of this formidable expedition was accomplished by merely securing a landing at Bermuda Hundreds, and possessing the little neck of land between the James and Appomattox, because this could have been done at any time by the naval forces.

It was thought, in well-informed circles, that the objects of the movement were: to interrupt the enemy's communications,

thereby retarding, and, if possible, preventing the advance of his troops coming up from the South; to threaten Richmond; to seize any opportunity that might offer for damaging the enemy, and at the same time to furnish a point d'appui for Meade's army, if it should be judged best to move it across the Peninsula, in its efforts to capture Richmond.

It was also thought by many that there was little danger in a rapid advance, for it was well known that there were very few troops at either Richmond or Petersburg. Sober-minded and intelligent officers asked in all seriousness, "Is not Petersburg within our grasp ?" and some, more sanguine, affirmed their conviction that Fort Darling and Richmond could be taken by a prompt and vigorous movement upon them.

It was also feared that these advantages would be ours but a very few days; for undoubtedly the enemy would move troops as rapidly as possible to confront this formidable force, threatening him in a vital point. How well-founded were these opinions as to the number of troops at Richmond and Petersburg, and fears as to the dangers of delay, may be inferred from the fact, since definitely ascertained, that ten thousand of the best troops, intended for the defence of Richmond, had been sent to North Carolina to operate against Newbern, and in anticipation of the supposed purpose of the gathering of Burnside's force at Annapolis, in addition to the troops sent to Lee's armny.

These forces were hastening toward Richmond, and with them several brigades which had been stationed in North Carolina; and not far behind was the command of Beauregard, from Charleston, Savannah, and Florida, numbering about twenty thousand men, thus making an aggregate of nearly forty thousand; a force equal to that under command of General Butler. On the morning of the 7th, five brigades, three from the Eighteenth and two from the Tenth Corps, under command of General Brooks, advanced, and found the enemy posted along the railroad between Chester Station and Walthal Junction, and drove them from their position. They, however, rallied, and showing considerable force, pushed back our right, and finally both parties withdrew.

Our loss was quite severe, the 8th Connecticut losing heavily. In the mean time, working parties were diligently occupied fortifying the line between the two rivers, the distance being less than three miles, with a deep ravine in front of both the right and left. On the morning of the 9th, nearly the whole force was put in motion, on the different roads leading to the railroad. Terry's and Turner's Divisions of the Tenth Corps, struck the railroad at Clover Hill Junction, thirteen miles from Richmond. Terry left one brigade there, faced toward Richmond, its right toward the James, and its left crossing the railroad, and with the other brigade followed Turner, who had turned to the left

and moved along the railroad toward Petersburg. Ames's Division of the same corps reached the railroad between Chester Station and Walthal Junction, and crossing it, marched some distance to the west, then faced to the southeast. The right of the Eighteenth Corps had previously reached the railroad at Walthal Junction, and made a left wheel toward Petersburg, and was advancing in that direction, when Ames joined his left to it, and thus our line of battle was formed. Heckman's Brigade had the right of the Eighteenth Corps, and came upon the advanced posts of the enemy, about a mile from Walthal Junction. Brisk skirmishing at once began, and they were driven, from point to point, across Bakehouse Creek, and finally to Swift Creek, about three miles from Petersburg. They had, before crossing the latter stream, made a determined resistance, their line of battle along a road about a hundred rods north of, and parallel with it, near Arrowfield Church. From this position they were dislodged, by an impetuous charge of a portion of Heckman's Brigade, and retired across the creek to a line of strong earthworks, about five hundred yards beyond it, their skirmishers occupying the bank, and covered by slight breastworks, and the bushes along the stream. Turner's Division supported Weitzell. The troops passed over the field of the contest two days before, and found quite a number of rebel, and some of our own dead, unburied.

We found on this field instances of the horrid barbarities practised by some rebel soldiers.

The bodies of Union soldiers were found shamefully mutilated, and the parts that had been sewered placed in their mouths.

These fiendish operations were committed by South Carolinians. There is not the shadow of a doubt that such things occurred on that field. I heard of this that day, and made diligent inquiry in relation to it at the time, and afterwards, thinking the story too horrible for belief, and am perfectly satisfied of its truthfulness. There was a singular coincidence in the affair at Arrowfield Church. The 23d, 25th, and 27th Massachusetts Regiments, encountered the 23d, 25th, and 27th South Carolina Regiments. The prowess of the despised Yankees was too much for the pluck of these Carolinians-the flower of Southern chivalry-who fled in great confusion, making very fast time in their efforts to reach the friendly shelter of their intrenchments. Our troops rested that night on the field where the contest had been during the afternoon. It was a beautiful moonlight night. Some made their ambrosial couches on the sharp edges of rails, and others on the damp ground, but we, like Homer's Immortal Gods having their dwellings in Olympus, had not sweet sleep all night long. Occasionally a shell crashing through the trees, would disturb our repose.

The shrill steam-whistle was heard at intervals-a rebel ruse

to make us believe their troops were arriving from the Souththen about midnight a rifle-shot or two, and then a volley rang out into the clear air, followed by the dog-like rebel yell, and answered by the full-toned Union shout, pealing in our ears. We spring to arms. We wait a few minutes in eager attitude. The affair is soon ended. The rebels have made a desperate charge on the line in front of us, and a few hundred yards to the left, and have been driven back with severe loss. After this all is quiet till the morning.

In the mean time the enemy had advanced a force from the direction of Richmond, and attacked the brigade of Terry's Division left to guard that point. The rest of the division, and a brigade of the Eighth Corps, were moved rapidly in that direction.

There was some severe fighting participated in by two of Terry's brigades and one brigade of the Eighteenth Corps.

From the batteries across Swift Creek, an irregular fire was kept up during the forenoon, doing however no damage, troops were covered by the woods. At about noon, orders were given to withdraw our force from the direction of Petersburg. Just at the moment the movement began, two rebel officers, a lieutenant-colonel and a captain, came to our skirmish line on the turnpike at Swift Creek, with a flag of truce. The object was transparent-it was a device to find out if possible the precise position of our troops, so that their batteries might fire to some purpose. But they came on a bootless errand.

They were taken along with the retiring column, about four miles, and then permitted to return under escort. The enemy attacking Terry were repulsed after a contest of an hour or two, and retired. The same evening the whole force returned to camp.

The net results of the operations up to the night of the 10th, were the railroad temporarily obstructed; an aggregate loss of between twelve and fifteen hundred men; the enemy having lost about the same number; and the possession of a fortified position, likely to be of value in further operations.

The damage done to the railroad was slight indeed. The culverts were not blown up, as they might have been very easily, and much of what was done consisted in simply prying up the track, and turning it over, the rails adhering to the ties so that, in repairing the damage, it was only necessary to pry it over again, and with a little adjustment it was in running order.

If the condition of this railroad is an indication of the state of railroads throughout the South, another delusion which we have cherished, has been swept away. It has been again and again declared, and published, that Southern railroads are worn out; and we have thought that they must be, in the nature of