bushes being thick, when a charge was made and the enemy's works, which proved to be his real picket-line, carried with rousing cheers and with little loss. Not stopping for a moment, even to secure the affrighted prisoners, the line rushed on, followed by the reserves. The Eleventh was now all on the skirmish line; the Maryland cavalry and a battalion of the Second Corps followed as reserves. When the enemy's main line was reached by the Eleventh the first volley from the enemy ont only checked the reserves, but turned them back. Every possible effort was made to bring them forward, especially by the officers of the Maryland cavalry. The officer commanding the battalion from the Second Corps insisted upon halting his men, retiring a few paces, and reforming. This delay and hesitation caused the failure of the charge at this time. The works possibly might have been carried by the skirmish line, as the rebel colors were seen to leave the works, and many rebels threw up their caps and arms in token of surrender. But the loud commands of the Second Corps officer, "halt," "fall back here," in reforming his battalion, caused my line to halt, and time was given the enemy to recover from his panic. The opportune moment was lost. The Eleventh was withdrawn a few yards, where it lay until the First Brigade came up and formed a line in my rear. I then withdrew the Eleventh and formed my line on the right of the Twenty-fourth Massachusetts, a little to the left of the First Brigade. When the First Brigade soon after charged, the Third Brigade charged with it. The Eleventh dashed across Deep Run and into the enemy's main works on its front. On the left of the Eleventh the enemy's works were not taken, which subjected my regiment to a heavy flank fire. The right of the Twenty-fourth Massachusetts joined the left of the Eleventh in the enemy's works; thence its line ran back nearly at right angles to my line over the slope into Deep Run. Near the left of the Twenty-fourth Massachusetts a small ravine entered Deep Run almost at right angles to it. Beyond this ravine the enemy retired and held on to the angle of land formed by it and Deep Run with the greatest tenacity. The position thus held formed a bastion which enfiladed my whole line and defied all attempts that were made to take it. Two brigades in succession charged across my front into this ravine, but did not advance beyond it. They were Bell's brigade, I think, and two regiments of Hawley's brigade. These regiments did not long hold the ravine. They were forced to retire, and must have suffered severely.

The enemy now crossed the ravine and charged down in front of the Eleventh, but was severely repulsed. One time his colors were shot down within 200 feet of my front, but were taken off. The enemy now entered the ravine in great numbers, their battle-flags appearing above it, and there was great danger of his turning the left of the Eleventh and the Twenty-fourth by moving down the ravine into Deep Run. The fire of musketry had been incessant. My men had expended all their cartridges, and as many more of the rebel cartridges, which were found along the works in abundance, and their guns were so foul, it was only by using the pieces of the dead and wounded the fire would be kept up. Lieutenant-Colonel Hill, Captain Lawrence, and Lieutenant Holt had, in the early part of the engagement, left the field wounded. It was now near 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and the position must be lost if not supported immediately. Barton's old brigade lay upon my right, commanded by a lieutenant-colonel. I applied to him to send regiment to support my left. He sent a Pennsylvania regiment, the Seventy-sixth, I believe, but before it got into position it was evident it