Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 5.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[92] him with our wings, but finding our steady lines invulnerable, and having suffered wretchedly, he finally fell back, and by half-past 8 o'clock, he was driven clear back to his own defensive line.

It was a furious fight. Save Donelson and Shiloh, there has been no such battle on this continent. It begun in disgrace, with every advantage of numbers and conditions favoring the enemy. It ended that day with a severe repulse to him. But he was consoled for his disappointment and serious casualties, by the spoils of Casey's and Couch's camps. From the former he took six pieces of artillery — his ammunition, camp equipage, many standards — in fact, all his army furniture; and from couch he took one gun and his camp equipage. On Sunday morning, the cannon and flags were triumphantly paraded through the streets of Richmond. Our loss of men was very heavy, but the casualties of the enemy were equally large. But it is impossible to ascertain the loss of either side until the official reports are made. One thousand will fully cover the loss of Sedgwick's division, of whom nine tenths were wounded. Burns's brigade, which was held as the first line of supports, lost five killed and twenty-eight wounded. Capt. Achuff, of the One Hundredth and Sixth Pennsylvania, Capt. Markoe, First California, Lieut. Camblos, and Gen. Burns, and Lieut. Donelson, of the First California, were the only officers wounded.

The splendid conduct of the division elicits the plaudits of the army. General Sumner held his troops well in hand; Sedgwick exhibited perfect coolness and courage; gorman was as enthusiastic as a boy, and firm as a rock; Burns's quick judgment and admirable conduct at the most critical moment of action, undoubtedly had an inspiring influence, and it was acknowledged with frenzied acclamations by the stout regiments wherever he exhibited himself. No more could have been asked by Dana. He proved himself a fearless soldier. Capt. Sedgwick, Assistant Adjutant-General to General Sedgwick, and Lieut. Howe, his aid-de-camp; Captain G. A. Hicks, A. A.G. to General Burns, and Lieuts. Blakeney and Camblos, and in fact, all the officers engaged, both field and staff, behaved themselves most gallantly. Lieut. Camblos, one of my messmates, received a severe calp-wound, but will soon be able to resume duty. He said that when he was struck he though he had run against a tree. Well he might. Col. John Cochrane, Col. Neill, Col. Sully, Col. Suiter, and indeed nearly every field-officer in all the divisions engaged, excepting Casey's, showed themselves good soldiers and brave officers.

During the night all our artillery got through the swamps and was properly posted. The troops were disposed in three lines, as usual, to renew the engagement, it being morally certain the enemy would make another effort to drive us over the Chickahominy. A rebel surgeon who was captured, stated that that was surely the object of the enemy. During the night, a courier from Roger A. Pryor to Gen. Anderson, was captured by Richardson's pickets, with a note informing Anderson that Pryor's brigade was in line of battle on his right. We looked for an attack at daybreak, but the pickets were not driven in until six o'clock. The enemy menaced Richardson's division, which was behind the railroad, to the left of Fair Oaks. They appeared in the forest directly in front, where they halted and taunted our line to advance. Gen. French, whose brigade was in front, declined the invitation, and the rebels rushed forward. A furious battle opened instantly. The enemy fought rapidly from the start, but adopted tactics which French construed into a feint to draw him on. They suspended fire at intervals, as if they were driven back, and then sent in new forces. In fact, their capacity for reenforcing, as on Saturday, seemed inexhaustible. Both sides fought with determined bravery, and both stood upon their own chosen positions. Between eight and nine o'clock, Gen. Richardson ordered Howard's brigade to the front. The volume of fire increased on both sides, the enemy having also reenforced. Our batteries, meantime, were shelling the forests vigorously, which evidently disconcerted the enemy. Howard now ordered Col. E. E. Cross, of the Fifth New-Hampshire, to charge bayonets, the enemy having appeared in a skirt of woods within one hundred yards, with evident design to charge.

Cross (many of you know him) sung out: “Charge them like h — l, boys; show 'em you are d — d Yankees.” The gallant Fifth responded with a yell, dashed forward impetuously, and scattered the enemy like chaff. Brave Howard, who cheered his reliable fellows in the thickest of the fray, way now disabled and carried to the rear. His aid-de-camp and brother, Lieut. Howard, also fell wounded. Colonel Cross took command, the enemy having begun to fall back. Col. Miller of the Eighty-first Pennsylvania, and Lieut.-Col. Massett, of the Sixty-first New-York, were killed outright. Soon the enemy recovered and made another fierce dash. Cross ordered the gallant Fifth New-Hampshire to charge again, and led them in person. A fragment of a shell fractured his forehead, a glancing blow, abrading the skin and stunning him. But recovering instantly he again pushed on, when he was hamstrung by a musket-ball. Finding it impossible to rise, he shouted to the lads to go on, and was carried to the rear; but he had the satisfaction to hear the shout of triumph before he left. Major W. W. Cook, of the same regiment, was also disabled by a similar wound.

Col. Parker now took command of the brigade, and fought it until the enemy were completely repulsed. The fight was ended. The enemy appeared no more that day. Their pickets did not even venture within view of our outpost line.

In this battle, as on Saturday, the effort of the enemy was directed to our left. His second attempt being so handsomely foiled, he evidently gave it up disheartened and disgusted. The second fight was severe on both sides, but the enemy was most terribly cut up. But upon both