pushed up to the works of the First Blly occupied the first line, but were soon after repulsed with great loss and retreated in confusion.

In the meantime the position of the Second Brigade was charged upon three sides and the troops were compelled to change position from one side to the other of their works, but they stood like a rock, and the enemy were handsomely repulsed and driven back in confusion. In falling back through the brush and swamps the regiment divided, and when we were only partly reformed, a staff officer of the First Brigade entreated the troops that were there (and there were no less than three regimental colors besides our own) to form and advance to the support of the First Brigade, which, he said, was in danger of being flanked. Calling as many of the regiments as were present together, without waiting for the balance I ordered them to advance at double-quick, which they did with a shout, but the enemy had already been repulsed, and I moved them to the right, into the works where the First Brigade were performing, and reported to General Vandever. In a few minutes I saw Lieutenant Scott, brigade ordnance officer, who told me the Second Brigade were still in their old position, and I immediately reported with what men I had to General Mitchell, and he assigned us to a new position on the left of the Thirty-fourth Illinois, behind the works abandoned by the Twenty-First Wisconsin. In the meantime the balance of the regiment were formed by captain Banning, who was assisting me in the command of the regiment, and by Adjutant Lewis, and by the direction of Captain Craft, division provost-marshal, he conducted them toward the train and reported to Colonel McMahan, commanding [Third] Brigade, of the First Division, Fourteenth Corps, and by that means became separated from us the balance of the day. About the time of the repulse by the First and Second Brigades, the First Division and the Twentieth Corps, which also had given away at First, rallied their troops and fought with terrific fury until about sunset, when the firing subsided and the enemy were evidently repulsed at all points.

During this last period there was comparative quiet in our front. At dark, however, our sentinels ran in telling me that the enemy were coming and were very near us. Fearing that some of our troops might have become bewildered and were coming in, I ordered the men not to fire, but to lay close to their works and I challenged the enemy. They were plainly to be seen not thirty paces from us, picking their way through the swamp, and apparently forming line in our front, unconscious of our position. After some parleying I succeeded in getting one to come in, a lieutenant, and when he saw who we were he surrendered his sword to me and reported that the Tenth North Carolina Regiment was there. This satisfied me as to who they were and I communicated this information to the Thirty-fourth Illinois immediately on our right, and sent the officers to General Mitchell. I then ordered the enemy to come in at once, telling them if they did not we should fire upon them. After a moment's pause I ordered the men to fire, which was kept up for about fifteen minutes. One more prisoner gave himself up and was sent to General Mitchell. The enemy broke and fled in great confusion, throwing away blankets, knapsacks, and guns. Thus ended the day. The One hundred and twenty-First had 4 killed and 27 wounded, including 3 commissioned officers, all of which occurred while we were on the left flank. The affair of the evening was the first opportunity the regiment ever had of fighting behind their works. We carried in one