by our men with the bayonet when they penetrated the works. So thickly lay the dead at this point, that at many places the bodies were touching and piled upon each other.

Our troops could not be restrained after the capture of the entrenchments, but pursued the flying enemy through the forest in the direction of Spotsylvania Court-House until they encountered a second formidable line of earth-works, the existence of which was before unknown to us. The assault and pursuit had, of course, broken our formation very much, but immediate efforts were made by the officers to collect the men and reform their lines. My reserves were ordered to move up at once and directed to occupy the captured line of works.

The enemy, in the mean time, there heavy re-enforcements into the second line opposite to the point of my attack. They now advanced against our troops, who had been checked by their second line of entrenchments, and compelled them to retire to the line they had captured at daylight. Forming in the works on the right and left of the Salient our troops resisted all attempts of the enemy to dislodge them.

About this hour, 6 a. m., the head of General Wright's corps (Sixth) arrived upon the field, his troops occupying the captured works on the right of the Salient. They had scarcely gotten into position when the enemy assailed our lines with great vehemence, pressing the attack toward that portion of the line held by the Sixth Corps, which they appeared to be determined to regain. The right of my corps, Mott's division, no joined the Sixth Corps at the Salient. Birney held the captured entrenchments of the left of Mott, Gibbon occupied the line on Birney's left, Barlow holding my extreme left. The enemy persisted in their attack against the Salient held by Birney, Mott, and the Sixth Corps. They advanced a very heavy force against this point, making repeat and desperate attempts to recover it. About 8 a. m. they pressed so fiercely against the Sixth Corps that General Wright sent to me for re-enforcements. Having no other troops to spare, I sent Brooke's brigade of Barlow's division to his support, although it had taken part in the first assault of the morning and had been among the first troops to enter the works, where it was hotly engaged for several hours. Brooke had withdrawn his brigade when our reserve came up to reform his line and replenish his ammunition. When General Brooke marched to re-enforce the Sixth Corps, he was thrown forward on the front line of battle, where he relieved a portion of the troops of Wheaton's division. His brigade fought in this position, losing very heavily until it had again exhaust its ammunition, when it was returned to me.

As soon in the morning as it could be brought up I had directed a portion of my artillery to be placed on the high ground in front of and to the right of the Landrum house, about 300 yards in rear of the line of works held by our troops, where it fired constantly over line into the enemy's position. One section of Gilliss' battery (C and I), Fifth U. S. Artillery, was pushed up close to our line at the Salient, where it fired canister into the enemy's line of battle, but lost so heavily in horses and men that it was withdrawn after a short time. This battery was gallantly served throughout the day. A section of Brown's battery (B), First Rhode Island, took position close to our line on the left of the Salient, where it remained during the day doing excellent service.