[139]
pleasant when there is a moon, except for sleepiness; but when they are continued through the next day, they are frightfully exhausting.
On June 17th he says:—
Just before sunset the charge was ordered, and, in the midst of a frightful flanking fire of grape and canister from the battery on our left, in addition to the severe musketry fire in front, was made.
They took the works, however, at the point of the bayonet.
I was up all night, getting things to rights again, and was under more and worse fire than ever before, but, thanks to a merciful Providence, escaped.
Pro patria mori is all very well, but it is a contingency to be avoided if possible; and the more battles one goes through, the less inclined one feels to come to grief.
From that time until the 30th of July the division lay in the works before
Petersburg; Headquarters being constantly exposed to random bullets and mortar-shells.
July 30.
We have made a well-planned, but frightfully disastrous and unsuccessful assault, which has used up about half the division.
Don't think that I have given up yet, for I have n't, but it always takes me some time to get over even a victory.
On the 3d of August, command of the division was assumed by
Brigadier-General Julius White, whom
Mills soon found reason to respect and admire.
After passing safely through the successful actions of the 19th and 22d of August, he was assigned, owing to the breaking up of the First Division, to Headquarters Ninth Corps, as
Assistant Adjutant-General.
He had previously received promotion as
Captain in his regiment, and as
Assistant Adjutant-General, with rank of
Captain, from the War Department, in accordance with nominations sent in two months before.
‘I was never
desillusionne; when I went out before, but became so pretty rapidly this time,’ is his conclusion as to the effect of the summer campaign.
Passing unhurt through a very hot fire in the fight of September 30th at Preble's Farm, he enjoyed quiet until the 18th of October, when he was assigned to the Headquarters of the Second Corps as
Assistant Adjutant-General.
His gallantry
