Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Harvard Memorial Biographies

[402] were flying from both sides. At the centre was a house with outbuildings; near this was a battery of ours, and the battle raged warmly. We formed into line in the rear of the centre (on the right by file into line). As we had been fairly on the run for some minutes, the companies, especially those near the left (since we were marching by the right flank), were broken, and I supposed that some of my own weaker and doubtful men had fallen out on the way. Much to my delight I found that every man was there. The line was formed and dressed, amid much confusion from contrary orders, &c., and the bullets which missed the line before us came whizzing round our heads. The man on my left, one of my corporals, was mortally wounded, and the corporal next on my right, of the next company, had a ball strike the ground directly before his left foot, and I felt it slightly myself; but I had at no time in the fight even a slight graze. . . . . We marched forward a few paces in line of battle close to the Fifteenth Massachusetts, when Tom Spurr, a classmate of mine, called out to me and waved his sword. But we were soon faced to the left, and marched round to the left of the line, re-formed our own line, with the Seventh Michigan of our brigade on our left, and marched steadily forward to fire and charge on the enemy, if they waited for us to come.

The regiment on the right (Thirty-fourth New York, of our division, Gorman's brigade) was a little in front at first, and although the regiment had had a bad reputation at Poolesville, and since we entered Virginia, yet it went forward with great firmness, halted and delivered its fire, advanced again and fired, and would have charged, had not the fire already cleared the woods in front of all the active Rebels. We were even with them before their second fire, and advanced across a fenced road, on the opposite side of which a wood lay before our right wing, and a very deep plain (five hundred yards perhaps) before our left wing. The Seventh Michigan had another wood in front of their left wing (this wood was not very far from us, as the two regiments joined each other). There was at first a line of Rebels in front of us, and the shots came across the field, but only a scattering fire. As we approached the fence beyond the road, we were on the watch for a sudden attack from behind it, but the Rebels fled back and scattered over the field. The men opened a fire on them, thinking that orders had been given, or else the first man from impulse and the others from imitation. We at once stopped them and crossed the fences. Then a volley came from the Rebels in front of the woods on the left, at the Seventh Michigan. It was very heavy, and looked beautifully in the