John D. Billings, The history of the Tenth Massachusetts battery of light artillery in the war of the rebellion

The morning was ushered in by heavy cannonading, both sides seeming glad of the opportunity to thunder their defiance at one another through these noisy and destructive implements of war which had been compelled to remain silent in the recent death-grapple. Our centre section was temporarily detached, and engaged for a time with the enemy's artillery. Despatches were read at the head of the respective organizations, announcing that Gen. Sherman was driving Joe Johnston before him, and that Gen. Butler, having beaten Beauregard, had got between him and Richmond, thus having Petersburg at his mercy. It was with a comfortable feeling, that matters were going well all round, that we received orders about 11 A. M. to advance, as we then supposed, across the Po,² not knowing at the time that we were already on the south side of it. It turned out, however, that we were being withdrawn across it, in compliance with an order Gen. Hancock had received to send two divisions to aid in an attack to be made by the Sixth and Fifth corps upon fortifications in front of the latter. In conformity with this order, the divisions of Gibbon and Birney were retired,—we, of course, being inseparable from the latter. We marched leisurely along across