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

[248] elaborate works, was closely watching the bridge, and whenever a body of troops attempted to cross, it opened briskly upon them, evidently hoping and striving to strike the bridge thus encumbered, in a vital spot, and thereby perform a double service. It may have been in their minds, should any catastrophe betide the bridge, to fall upon that portion of the corps already across. But this structure was destined to serve the Union cause to the full; and although those Rebel guns were posted not above six hundred yards up river from it, and were served at short intervals during the entire day, they never once struck it, and the only casualties were the wounding of two men. We can do no less, however, than pay a tribute of admiration to the cannoneers of those guns, who stood so steadfastly by them despite the hot fire poured in upon them by three of our batteries, though we must condemn them for poor shooting, as, at their distance, the bridge should have been destroyed with one-tenth the amount of ammunition they expended.

Having got safely across, affairs wore a stormy aspect. We lay perhaps half a mile from the river near a brick house, awaiting orders. A part of the corps was engaging the enemy, with what result we could not then determine. We were in just the position to receive the enemy's shells, which every now and then dropped or exploded uncomfortably near. Soon a line of infantry was rapidly deployed near us, and some of them began to fortify, in momentary expectation of an attack. Just at this time, the clouds having been gathering blackness, discharged their contents, and the combatants were drenched in a torrent of rain. This seemed to cool their ardor, and the fighting ceased.

We lay here all night. The next day we were