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

[70] little way off I remember a fellow standing, who seemed to be holding something before him which seemed like a blanket. Joe said, “Let's get back into the edge of the woods,” which we did. I then saw the 96th Penn. coming up to our rear and left. As I stepped back I saw Bill Wildrick and John Steinfort lying shot, and a couple of men who were wounded came there and asked to be carried back. Just then John Dain said he was hit. He mistook the water running from his canteen, which a bullet had pierced, for blood. I remember I laughed at the expression on his face at the time. I kept looking and firing in the direction from which the bullets seemed to come, and our fellows kept crowding down among our company to get away from the fire. After a time the smoke cleared a little and I could see some buildings, and from a brick building which we afterwards learned was Salem church, came the fire which was so destructive to us. There seemed to be men in the church who were firing from the windows, and our men were crowding away from it toward us to escape being hit. In front of us and to the left there were no Rebels that I could see. How long we would have stayed there I do not know, I suppose until we were attacked and driven away. I realized how useless it was for us to stay, but did not know enough to run, and it was well that Captain Wilson of General Bartlett's staff rode up and ordered us back, accompanying the order with the inquiry, “D-n you, don't you know enough to fall back?” I started to go back rather slowly. I think Yoeman and Pat McTague were near me then. A lot of our fellows were lying down. I remember Joe Rounds shouting, “Come on, we're ordered back,” and then seeing Sile Goodrich and Benny West who had been shot dead, and having the thought come to me, “Why, these men ”