N the morning of the twentieth of June, we received orders to prepare to march; but owing to the proximity of the opposing lines, and the consequent impracticability of " relieving" in the daylight, we remained in the works through the day, losing one man, killed, and one, wounded, by the fire of the enemy's sharpshooters.

At eleven o'clock, P. M., we were relieved by Colonel Thomas' Brigade of colored troops, of the Ninth (Burnside's) Corps; after which we moved about two miles to the rear, where we bivouacked for the night. Having been continually in the front for so long a period, it was supposed that we were sent to the rear for a temporary rest; but at nine o'clock, A. M., of the twenty-first, we were again en route, marching in the direction of the Weldon Railroad. The weather was

oppressively warm, and the roads, from want of rain, had become very dusty.

At five o'clock, P. M., after having marched and countermarched about ten miles, we were assigned position in the second line of battle. We were just fairly asleep, when we were ordered to relieve one of General Barlow's Brigades in the front. Our new line was established at one o'clock, A. M.

We were in readiness to move at daybreak, on the following morning; and at ten o'clock, we marched a short distance to the right, relieving the Second Brigade, which advanced half a mile to the front, to construct a new line of works.

All was quiet during the day, until about five o'clock, when we were surprised to see our front lines falling back in great disorder, with but very little firing, and no apparent cause. Indeed there was so little firing, that we were at a loss to understand the meaning of the panic; but soon ascertained, however, that the enemy had succeeded in flanking General Barlow's Division; and before our men of the first line were aware of it, the rebels were fairly in their rear, and without exchanging a shot. Portions of the First, Second, and Third Divisions, of the Second Corps, were in the front line, and many prisoners were captured by the rebels. We formed promptly behind the second line of works, and prepared to meet the enemy. Had he been fully aware of his advan

tage, and how completely panic-stricken and demoralized our troops were, he would most assuredly have followed up his success, and could have inflicted severe damage on us.

He, however, made no attempt on our second line, save by bringing up a section of artillery to the edge of the woods in our front, and shelling us a little. The loss in our brigade was very light, but in the corps it must have been quite severe. McKnight's Battery, and one or two entire regiments, of the Second Division, were captured.

The enemy occupied the unfinished line, vacated by our troops in such haste, and secured two or three wagon loads of entrenching tools, besides many small

arms.

At dusk, the Second Brigade made an attempt to re-capture the line, but was repulsed with loss.

At daybreak on the morning of the twenty-third, we were ordered to charge upon and re-take the works. We had witnessed the repulse of the Second Brigade the previous evening, and expected to meet with a similar reception. In our front was a level, open field, across which we moved in splendid style, in a single line of battle, momentarily expecting a volley from the enemy; but we were soon gratified at the discovery that our wary foe had abandoned the line, during the night, and we occupied it without firing a shot, or the loss of a man.

Immediately upon gaining the line, we commenced to strengthen the works, and advanced our skirmishers well to the front. Large numbers of our dead and wounded covered the field. The dead had been completely stripped of every article of clothing, even to shoes and stockings, and the wounded were all robbed of their valuables, and in many instances, even of their coats and blankets. We discovered the body of one man stripped of every article, whose head bore the mark of the butt of a musket. He had been first wounded in the leg, and aftewards cruelly murdered by some chivalric Confederate, for the sake of his clothing and trinkets. The sight was sickening and horrible enough to make the veriest copperhead cry out for vengeance. Such atrocities and barbarities were, thank God, rare, even among the most bitter and destitute of the rebels; yet similar instances have more than once fallen under the observation of our soldiers.

On the morning of the twenty-fourth, we were relieved from our advanced position, and withdrawn about a quarter of a mile to the rear, where we commenced to construct another line of entrenchments. At noon orders were received to cease work, return all entrenching tools to the wagons, and hold the command in readiness to move. We remained, however, all day behind our half finished works, and enjoyed a much needed rest. The weather was extremely hot,

and the dust was almost suffocating. Water was very scarce at this point, there being none fit to drink nearer than two miles. Wells were soon dug by the men, which afforded them an abundant supply. We remained here until about eight o'clock, P. M., of the twenty-seventh, enjoying our rest as best we might in such a hot and unwholesome place.

During the night of the twenty-seventh, we moved forward to connect with the line of the Fifth Corps. Owing to the darkness, we were unable to discover their line of battle; and, at midnight, had succeeded only in connecting with their picket line, while our entire force was in a position that, should the enemy open upon us, we would have been subjected to a complete enfilading fire. We were ordered to strengthen the works, and construct heavy traverses for our protection.

On the following morning, we were ordered to return to our former camps, leaving one-fifth of the command to hold these hastily constructed works.

In the afternoon of the same day, we received orders to move our camp a short distance. The afternoon was devoted to policing the new grounds; and on the following morning, we moved to the designated spot, and had got the camp partially laid out, when we were again ordered to the front, to relieve Colonel Brewster's Brigade, and connect with the Brigades of Generals Mott and Pierce.