the latter being the point nearest to our bridges, which were necessarily much nearer that flank (one of them being the railroad bridge), and that being the line of movement by which they would most rapidly have cut us off from crossing the river had our lines been broken. The extreme left was the portion of our main line first warmly engaged. The enemy endeavored to pass up the railroad cut above mentioned, but were enfiladed not only by the guns in Fort Granger but by Battery M, Fourth U. S. Artillery, and driven from that shelter. Their lines on either side, however, advanced steadily. On reaching the Osage orange hedge in front of Stiles' left, they first endeavored to force their way through it and pull it aside. The tough and thorny nature of the shrub foiled them in this, and they attempted to file around the hedge by the flank, and under a terrible, withering fire from Stiles' and the batteries on that flank. They soon abandoned this effort, and most of those remaining unhurt lay down behind the bridge [hedge], and after keeping up a desultory fire for a time straggled to the rear, singly and in small squads.

In front of Stiles' right and Casement's left, the obstructions being fewer and more insignificant, the enemy advanced rapidly and in good order, though suffering veer severely, up to the breast-works and made desperate efforts to carry them. Their officers showed the most heroic example and self-sacrifice, riding up to our lines in advance of the men, cheering them on. One general officer (Adams) was shot down upon the parapet itself, his horse falling across the breast-work. In all this part of the line our men stood steadily without flinching, and repulsed the enemy, inflicting terrible loss upon him and suffering but little in return. Meanwhile, in the center, the enemy gained some temporary advantage. When the two brigades of Wagner's division, Fourth Corps, broke the enemy were close upon them and followed them in, overtaking and capturing considerable numbers of the fugitives. Our own men in the lines along the center were restrained from firing, in order not to injure those who were retreating, and the enemy were thus enabled to come up the breast-works pell-mell with Wagner's men, without suffering loss or being seriously exposed to fire. Immediately upon the pike the crowd of the retreating troops and the advancing enemy overwhelmed the men at the breast-works there, and a portion of the right of Reilly's brigade (Third Division) and most of Strickland's brigade (Second Division) broke from the first line. This was not due altogether to the pressure upon their immediate front, but partly also to the fact that the orders given by their officers to the rear of Wagner's division coming in from the front to rally at the rear were supposed by many of the men in the lines to apply to them also. When the two brigades of Wagner's were first seen to be compromised by getting seriously engaged, as a provision against danger in the center I had ordered Opdycke's brigade to be ready to charge up to the lines instantly, if there should be any confusion there. This brigade was now ordered up, and came up the turnpike in the most gallant manner; Reilly's rushed forward at the same moment.

Major-General Stanley, commanding Fourth Corps, who had been ill during the prior part of the day, came on the field on hearing the sound of battle, and arrived in time to take an active part in the effort to rally Wagner's men, but was soon wounded and his horse shot under him. The most strenuous efforts were made by all officers along that part of the line to rally the men, and were so far successful that the line was quickly restored on the left of the turnpike, and after a sharp struggle

23 R R-VOL XLV, PT I