[
80]
Chapter 11: battle of Oak Grove.
On Saturday, June 21, at 11 P. M. the regiment moved forward and pitched tents in the rear of the rifle pits which stretched from the railroad at the left, to
Hooker's redoubt.
Here it remained during the rest of the stay of the army at this point.
The tents were pitched in such a manner, in the rear of the rifle pits, that when the men fell in there would be a line of battle already formed.
The rifle pits were about eight or ten feet high, with a deep ditch back of them.
The breastworks consisted of logs and fence rails, with earth thrown up against them, breast high, making a redoubt with embrasures for field artillery.
They were connected with a ‘curtain’ or line of earth work, behind which the infantry were posted.
The redoubts were placed at distances to give a raking or cross fire of the ground in front.
On the first night when the pits were occupied by the Nineteenth Massachusetts there were many alarms.
On Monday night a sharp fire was heard in the woods in front.
The men were at once under arms and most interested auditors of the contest.
The shouts of the enemy drew near and it was thought that they would engage the men in the rifle pits, but they contented themselves with merely holding the woods.
In this contest the artillery stationed near the Nineteenth took part, also siege guns, mortars and field batteries.
The fight was in the immediate front and from the right and left the guns in the forts and redoubts sent their shells into the woods.
While the bombs from the mortars would mount high into the air, they would seemingly remain stationary for an instant and then descend with increasing rapidity into the works of the enemy.
At the left, where
General Hooker commanded, the country was more open in front.
On Wednesday, June 25, several regiments were seen to move out from
General Hooker's position,
