A. J. Bennett, private , First Massachusetts Light Battery, The story of the First Massachusetts Light Battery , attached to the Sixth Army Corps : glance at events in the armies of the Potomac and Shenandoah, from the summer of 1861 to the autumn of 1864.

[52] arc, partly in the woods, and partly in the open ground reaching toward the rear of Cold Harbor, the troops of Sykes and Griffin were desperately stemming the tide. Bartlett's regiments are brought into line. Our guns are unlimbered, and caissons move to the rear.

It was without doubt the material aid afforded by Gen. Slocum's reinforcement of this part of the line, at this juncture, that saved the Federal right. Let this fact be remembered to the credit of the Sixth Army Corps and the gallant commander of its First Division, whose command in an equal emergency at Antietam helped retrieve the failing fortunes of the day, and who himself afterward commanded the right wing of our army at Gettysburg.

It was perhaps five o'clock, when, upon the left of our position, seemingly in the centre of the Federal line, as we try to picture in our minds a line drawn along the crest of the range of heights from Gaines' Mill to our position on the right already described, the heavy firing indicates that the enemy is trying the same tactics that have failed upon the right. The sounds do not settle back toward the river, so we judge that the centre stands firm. For half an hour this continued, when the din of conflict seemed to be transferred to the extreme left. Now the sounds seem to be floating to our rear. Have the Confederates massed their forces upon the right of their line, to destroy Porter and McCall? The infantry contiguous to us seem to have been ordered to fall back; we limber up and move toward the left and rear. Still the cannonade upon the left continues. As we draw nearer, there comes to our ears a yell that suggests that there is a charge in progress on the Confederate right flank; but, drawing yet nearer, there was a scene of confusion in the rear of the left. Infantry seemed to be retreating to the river. Batteries were withdrawing, not at a walk, but overrunning the infantry. Our approach added to the confusion. But at this moment, a column from the south side of the river appears upon the scene; they have Second Corps badges; 'tis French and Meagher. They push through the retreating masses; the latter are rallied, and with new courage follow behind the fresh brigades, ready to meet a new attack.

The enemy seemed to be aware of the arrival of reinforcements; there was a brief exchange of shots, then a lull, as darkness settled upon the field. It is said that when the Federal line broke on the