Isaac O. Best, History of the 121st New York State Infantry

[120] on their colors, and being re-formed by Colonel Upton, the regiment charged the enemy and retook part of the earthworks. They held them till withdrawn, and formed on the right flank of the corps to prevent any farther advance of the enemy on the right and rear. About 10 o'clock the order came to move to the left, and the morning found the brigade in the vicinity of the Wilderness Tavern, where rifle pits were immediately constructed.

To give the human touch to this day's affair, the experience of Colonel Beckwith will suffice.

Soon after daylight on May 4, we were in line and marching toward the enemy having the advance of the corps. The 5th Corps was ahead of us. Soon after we started, picket firing and skirmishing told that the enemy had been found. We moved along very slowly and off to the left of the road for some distance until toward noon, when the sound of the firing told that large numbers of the infantry were engaged. We then marched in column of fours, the regiments being far enough apart so that we could swing into line of battle rapidly at the word of command. The 95th Penn., our extreme left regiment, struck the enemy in the thicket and Colonel Carroll who was leading, and some distance in front of his men, received their fire and was instantly killed. A portion of his regiment swung into line and charged, capturing twenty-five or thirty of the enemy. They also secured a good position and connected our corps with the right of the 5th, but the ground held was some distance in front of the 5th Corps' line. They had fought over this ground, and a good many wounded were scattered through the woods and thickets, which were on fire in front and on both sides of us. Many wounded on both sides must have perished in the flames, as partially