On receiving the enemy's fire, to may great astonishment, the line began to give way on the left. It is said first the Excelsior Brigade, then my left regiment-First Massachusetts Volunteers-and regiment after regiment, like a rolling wave, fell back, and all efforts to rally them short of the breast-works were in vain. To assign a cause for this panic is impossible, unless it was from the fact that a large number of troops were about to leave the service. I think this had much to do with it. In the advance the Eigth New Jersey Volunteers, was on my right, and in coming up they found themselves in rear of the left regiment of the Sixth Corps, who were engaging the enemy. The Eighth New Jersey laid down, but soon the troops in front gave way and the Eighth received the fire from the enemy. The Fifth, on its left, gave way and carried back with it a portion of the Eighth, leaving Captain Stelle with a small portion of the regiment and the colors. He was afterward relieved by Brigadier-General Ward, and should be noticed for gallantry. The loss in this regiment was heavy. It is now late in the evening and my brigade is formed behind the breast-works along the road. Twelve o'clock midnight called at General Mott's headquarters and received orders to advance at 5 a. m. next morning; detailed Lieutenant-Colonel Baldwin, First Massachusetts Volunteers, as brigade officer of the day, who was to report to me as to General Ward's left. Lieutenant-Colonel Baldwin left at 2 a. m., and was taken prisoner. Not hearing from him gave me some considerable trouble, for the hour to advance had arrived. he was to have taken command of the skirmish line and had instructions to that effect. I now ordered out the skirmishers and sent an aide to find General Ward's left; moved forward. Receiving reports from my aide at to Ward's left, found it necessary to move to the left by obliquing and moving forward. After advancing a considerable distance General Mott and staff came up and directed me to give Colonel Sewell command of the three fight regiment, which I did. The Fifth, Sixth, and Eleventh New Jersey Volunteers were then under his immediate command, leaving me but three regiments. The Eight New Jersey, Twenty-sixth Pennsylvania, and Sixteenth Massachusetts Volunteers were at that time detailed front eh brigade and in the rear. We were soon in position, and the three regiments, under Colonel Sewell, had a skirmish as they moved into an open space in General Ward's brigade on their left. When I got my three regiment to their rear they were fighting. A colonel that I did not know asked me to relieve him, so that he could get ammunition, and that he would be back soon. I did so, and he retired, and I saw him no more. We advanced with the line as it advance and halted when it halted, skirmishing as we moved along, driving the enemy back. I was informed that my left would by protected by General Barlow. I was no connection. At one time I saw a line drawn up facing to my left, and felt that all was right; in a short time it disappeared. Feeling some apprehension for my left I reconnoitered and saw nothing.

In a short time, Colonel Frank, of General Barlow's division, came with a few troops, and said that he wished to pass through my line to the front. I told him that I had skirmishers out and that I was advancing with the line of battle and did not wish him to go ahead of me, and that I understood that he was to protect my left, that I had orders to advance when this line advanced, and halt when it halted. He replied that he had orders "to find the enemy wherever