be a tremendous force of Confederates in our front, and all the tools we can get hold of are used by the men throwing up breastworks, being obliged to work in reliefs all night, in order to be able to hold our own, as we are liable to be charged upon any moment. If so, we will be in a bad fix. I have carefully inspected our entire front line twice today, and the men are completely worn out. General Tidball keeps the country well lighted up with his mortars, which throw the shells by the thousands into the camps of the enemy, many of them bursting in the air, it looks like the whole. country was ablaze with fireworks. Almost everyone seems excited, as it is the impression that we are on the eve of a great battle, and as the men are almost worn out from the forced marches we have just made, and from the hard work of digging ditches and throwing up breastworks, we are not in a very favorable condition to do more than hold our ground, if we can do that. The weather is very hot, and we cannot procure anything to drink but warm, muddy water, made so by men, mules and horses all rushing into it. Canteens and tin cups by the hundreds can be seen by the side of a mule's or horse's front or hind leg or nose in the water, and other men hurrying out of their way, so as to dip their caps in and drink, as if the water was from a nice cool spring. Gen⚫eral Birney seems extra wide-awake this evening, doing all he can to prepare for the worst. If I live to write another letter it will be one of interest, I think; so good-bye until you hear from me again. From yours, truly.

June 22, 1864.

As everything seemed quiet, with the exception of the usual firing on the picket line, this morning, after breakfast, I lay down to take a nap, and had barely gotten asleep, when General Morgan woke me up to go with General Meade, to show him where General Barlow's headquarters were. Then I delivered a written order to General Mott, commanding the Third Division, to have his command all in readiness to attack at a moment's notice; came back to headquarters, and while eating my dinner Gen. F. A. Walker, General Hancock's Adjutant-General, who is temporarily assigned to duty with General Birney, told me to get ready to go with General Birney to the front line, as he wished all of our (Hancock's) staff to accompany him.

By the time we were all mounted a tremendous firing was heard in front. The General ordered me to ride out as fast as I could and ascertain the cause. I soon discovered several regiments in full retreat, and reported the fact to General Birney, who rode to Gibbon's front line, where he saw for himself the terrible condition we were in, and that we had lost McKnight's battery of artillery,

the first one captured from our Corps since its organization. He sent me with orders to General Gibbon to recapture it at once, and then to General Meade to get reinforcements. I stopped by the Jones House and reported to General Hancock the result. He sprang out of his bed, wild with excitement at the bad news, but, of course, the doctor would not let him go to the front, as he wished to do. He told me to hasten to General Meade, who said we could get help from the Fifth Corps if we needed it. I then went to see if the battery had been recaptured, Captain Parker going with me, and soon saw that it was no use to try to get it with our troops. I reported the fact to General Hancock, who said: "For God's sake get a division from the Fifth Corps at once," and in a few minutes was with General Griffin, at the head of his First Division. Although he was temporarily in command of the Fifth Corps, he remarked to me that he had been in readiness for some time, as he had expected that we would need help. He brought his division up at double-quick time, and reported to General Birney, who told him to hold the inner breastworks, while he made another attempt to get back the battery. Griffin said to me it was impossible to do so, and offered to take his division and do the work, but Birney seemed too proud to have it said another Corps could retake a lost battery that he had failed to take with such a force as he had engaged, and seemed to display a feeling of jealousy for fear Griffin might receive the credit he desired for himself. General Griffin seemed displeased at the refusal of General Birney to allow him to send a force from his Corps to try and recapture the battery, and so expressed himself to me. Of course, General Birney failed to get back the battery, as his men were all tired out and too much demoralized to make a successful charge the third time. We have lost a great many veterans and valuable men today, gaining nothing worth mentioning. It is unfortunate that General Hancock is not able to be out among the men, as he would create an enthusiasm, which appears lacking under General Birney, who, nevertheless, does the best he can, regardless of his own danger or fatigue. I do not believe there is an officer in the Army who can excel General Hancock in handling a large body of men in action, and my only hope is that his wound will not keep him away from his command much longer. It is now after 11 P. M., but the roar of artillery and bursting of shells around us will not prevent me from sleeping, as I am getting so accustomed to it I would not wake if one were to burst within ten feet of me.

June 23, 1864. General Birney had us all accompany him at 4 o'clock this morning to inspect the front line of works, and found that each Divi

sion Commander had established a strong line, which was proved this afternoon, when the Confederates charged us, and were forced back into their works, many being killed. Our loss has been small compared with that of the enemy. General Barlow has lost five of his staff officers, killed and wounded, this week, giving a chance for five more ambitious young men, who like active work, to take their places.

Upon my return to headquarters I found a very doleful letter from my father, who seemed to be in a distressed condition of mind, fearing he would never see me again. The following is an extract of my reply:

You must bear in mind that there are thousands of fathers, North and South, who have their only child-son in the Army, exposed to the same danger and hardships that I am, and as you have two sons left, in case I am killed you have no good cause to worry, but should feel blessed and thankful that you are so much better off than many fathers. Of course, I cannot tell what moment my time may come, but if this should happen to be my last letter, you

can obtain my photograph at Brady's, which was taken a few days ago at Cold Harbor, standing by the side of General Hancock and the rest of his staff, which is good of all of us. Dear father, I further wish to remind you that you ought to feel proud of the fact that you have one son out of the three who is doing his best to help save the Union. If you have the good luck to have one killed while doing his duty in the field, it will be to your credit.

In this letter to my father I wrote as I then felt, that it was the duty of every able-bodied man to come forward and do his might in saving the Union. Under such circumstances the thought of life or danger was not to be thought of.

June 25, 1864.

After breakfast the firing on both sides began to be lively, and General Birney ordered us all to accompany him to the front lines, where we remained until 10 o'clock, when General Morgan sent me after the Corps officer of the day, whom I found with Captain Crafts, who commands the Fifth New Hampshire, the field officers having all been killed or wounded. Upon my return I was sent to inspect the whole line of the Second Corps, a very dangerous duty to perform, as the Confederate sharpshooters were on the

alert to try to pick off anyone they could who appeared in sight above our breastworks, both sides amusing themselves all day shooting at each other from behind the works. Capt. Clayton McMichel, Ninth U. S. Infantry, one of General Birney's staff, rode with me along a portion of the works, until we came to an open space, which was covered by a masked battery, when he said

he was not going any further. I told him that my orders were to inspect the whole line, and that I would have to do it alone with my orderly. So we started across this open space, when this battery opened upon us, and I put spurs to my horse and headed for a ravine, running right in range of the shot and shell for a few moments, but soon had the satisfaction of hearing them pass over our