stood at their guns, while the enemy were but a few feet distant and poured volley after volley of double shotted canister into his ranks.

We captured many prisoners, and several stands of colors during the fight. The large number of the enemy's dead and wounded in our front attested the valor and discipline of his troops.

Probably never before was there a battle of such magnitude, fought under such circumstances. A cor

respondent writing from the spot says:

"There is something horrible, yet fascinating, in the mystery shrouding this strangest of battles ever fought,-a battle which no man could see, and whose progress could only be followed by the ear. It is, beyond a doubt, the first time in the history of war, that two great armies have met, each with at least two hundred and fifty pieces of artillery, and yet placed in such circumstances as to make this vast enginery totally useless. The combat lasted three days; but it might have been prolonged a fortnight longer, and still left the issue undecided."

On the seventeenth the regiment took part in a reconnoisance made by the brigade, in which our loss was three enlisted men killed, five wounded, and one missing.

No field officers being present with the regiment, Major Moore, of the Ninety-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers, was assigned to the temporary command of the Seventeenth, by orders from Major-General Birney.

At six o'clock, P. M., the division marched about

three miles down the Plank Road, when we received orders to return again to the Junction, where we took up position in the second line, with orders to be ready to march as soon as the Sixth Corps had passed.

Soon after our return, the enemy made a vigorous attack, but was again handsomely repulsed. The men were kept on the qui vive all night, expecting every moment to move, but the progress of the Sixth Corps was very slow, and it was not until sunrise on the morning of Sunday, May eighth, that we were fairly on our way. We marched about six miles, to near Todd's Tavern, where we formed a line of battle, and threw up a strong line of works. Through the afternoon there was quite severe musketry on our right, but in our immediate front no serious engagement occurred. The skirmishers were engaged during the afternoon, and we were subjected to quite a severe shelling from the enemy's batteries. General Hancock notified the division and brigade commanders, that an attack at sunset was anticipated on our front; and the men worked very industriously at the rifle pits, which long before dark were sufficiently formidable to enable us to resist an attack, even though made by a much superior force. Hill's Corps was found to be in our front. The anticipated attack, however, was not made, and we bivouacked for the night behind our works.

To the great delight of the weary and almost ex

hausted soldiers, an order from General Meade was promulgated, on the morning of the ninth of May, announcing that the army would rest that day from offensive operations; but at one o'clock, P. M., it having been ascertained that the enemy had left our front, we were ordered to move in pursuit. Accordingly we marched via the Spottsylvania Road, until about four o'clock, P. M., when, from the banks of the Po River, we caught sight of the trains of the enemy, moving by a road on the opposite side. General Birney immediately ordered two batteries to take position on a commanding eminence, and, while we formed in line of battle, parallel with the river, and sent troops across on a reconnoisance, our artillery shelled them vigorously. Finding but a slight force on the opposite banks, left as a rear guard, the division forded the Po, and bivouacked, after a march of about eight miles, at nine o'clock, P. M., between the rivers Po and Ny, where a portion of the Seventeenth was detailed for picket.

On the tenth the picket line was attacked and driven in by the enemy, with a loss in the Seventeenth of ten enlisted men wounded, and two missing. The remainder of the Second Brigade was not engaged during the day. The First Brigade, General Ward, was moved out in the afternoon, to the river banks, to cover the crossing of Barlow's First Division, which was effected in splendid style. At six o'clock, P. M., Ward's

Brigade made a charge on a portion of the enemy's works, which they gained, and even planted their colors upon them; but not being supported, and being exposed to a terrific enfilading fire, they were subsequently forced to retire with severe losses, leaving many of their dead and wounded on the ground, and in the hands of the enemy.

On the following day, while works were being erected in the rear, the regiment supported a skirmish line, and lost one officer, Captain S. S. Richards, and one enlisted man wounded. Heavy cannonading and musketry on, our right, during the entire day, proclaimed that other portions of the army were engaged.

CHAPTER XIII,

THE BATTLE OF SPOTTSYLVANIA COURT HOUSE.

URING the day and night of May eleventh, a perfect tempest of thunder, lightning, and rain swept over the army as it lay behind the strong works confronting the rebel hosts.

Taking advantage of the darkness, General Hancock quietly moved his command from the entrenchments. At eleven o'clock, P. M., leaving our camp fires burning brightly, we fell into line and noiselessly and cautiously retired. In a drenching rain and heavy mist, through muddy fields and tangled underbrush, we marched to the left, passing around the camps of the Sixth Corps, and at one o'clock the two brigades of Birney's Division were formed, each in double lines, without a loud word spoken, or command given above a whisper. The Seventeenth, forming a portion of the second line, was ordered to rest until morning, but without fires or noise.