Owen's brigades in close column of regiments. Barlow advanced at the time indicated and found the enemy strongly posted in a sunken road in front of his works, from which they were driven after a severe struggle and followed into their works under a very heavy artillery and musketry fire. Two hundred or 300 prisoners, 1 color, and 3 pieces of artillery fell into our hands. The guns were turned upon the enemy, forcing them to retreat in confusion from that portion of the line. But this partial success of Barlow was speedily turned into a reverse by the failure of the second line to get up to the prompt support of the first, which was forced out of the captured works by the re-enforced enemy, and an enfilanding artillery fire brought to bear on it. The troops of the first line showed a persistency rarely seen, and, taking advantage of a slight crest, held a position within from 30 to 75 yards of the enemy's line, covering themselves in an astonishingly short time by rifle-pits.

The gallant commandeer of the Fourth Brigade, of Barlow's division, Colonel (now Brovet Major-General) Brooke was severely wounded in this assault. He fell at the moment when his troops entered the enemy's works. On the right Gibbon had been even less successful, and had met with heavy losses. His attack was a little delayed, he reports, by the failure of General Owen to have his troops formed, but the delay was brief. Gibbon's line was unfortunately cut in two by a marsh, which widened as the line neared the enemy's works. The country over which he advanced was cut up by ravines. The line moved gallantly forward, however, until close to the enemy's works, but was not able to advance farther under the destructive fire. General Tyler was wounded and taken from the field, and the lamented McKeen, after pushing his command as far as his example could urge it, was killed. The gallant Haskell succeeded to the command, but was carried from the field mortally wounded, while making renewed efforts to carry the enemy's works. On the left, and separated from his brigade by the swamp described above, Colonel McMahon with a part of his regiment, the One hundred and sixty-fourth New York, reached the enemy's works, planting with his own hand his regimental colors on the parapet, where he fell covered with wounds and expired in the enemy's hands, losing his colors with honor. A portion of Smyth's brigade also reached the enemy's works, but failed to effect a lodgment owing, General Gibbon states, to the fact that General Owen did not bring his brigade promptly to the support, as he had been directed, but deploying it on Smyth's left when he first became engaged. A portion of Gibbon's troops held ground so close to the enemy that they could only be reached by means of caverns of covered ways. Thus ended the assault at Cold Harbor. The major-general commanding was anxious that I should renew the attempt, if practicable, but I did not consider it wise to make another assault, if the matter was left to my judgment.

The first report of casualties after the action, which was unusually short, hardly an hour in duration, showed a loss of 3,024. Among officers the loss had been without precedent. I had to mourn the loss of those who had hitherto been foremost and most daring and brilliant in action. Among the killed were Colonels McKeen, Haskell, and McMahon, already mentioned, three most promising young officers, who had never failed to distinguish themselves in battle; Colonel Byrnes, of the Twenty-eighth Massachusetts Volunteers; Colonel Porter, of the Eighth New York; Colonel Morris, of the Sixty-sixth New York; all tried and excellent officers. To this list was added,