obstruction which the thick and tangled brush wood presented. During this movements Colonel Hayes was severely wounded in the head by a bullet and Lieutenant McCarty in the arm. Five enlisted men were killed and 14 wounded. Major Weston, after returning to the breast-works, received so severe an attack of sunstroke as to render him temporarily insane, and to deprive him of strength to do further service. He was sent by the surgeons to Washington, where he received a sick leave of thirty days. The regiment remained at the breast-works till late in the afternoon, when it was moved upon the road, and placed in position, but was soon recalled and bivouacked for the night.

Early the next morning, May 6, the regiment was moved up the road and placed in a second line of battle on the ground where General Ayres' brigade the day before formed for the assault. No advance was made from this position during the day. The enemy kept up a continual artillery fire over us, but the only casualty was 1 man killed by a shell. At night the brigade was drawn into the breast-works. The next morning the enemy had moved his force nearly to the works. The Eighteenth Regiment was sent out as skirmishers, and during the forenoon lost 1 man killed and 4 wounded. At 1 o'clock the skirmishers were ordered to move forward in advance of a line of troops, which was to be sent forward to ascertain if the enemy still remained in our front. Upon the advance being made the enemy's skirmishers fell back to his line of battle, where he was found to be still strongly posted with infantry and artillery. The troops were recalled and the regiment was relieved from its picket duty. After dusk the brigade marched from its position along the line of battle toward the left, and without resting.

SECOND EPOCH.

After dusk the brigade left its position and marched all night by a good road to Laurel Hill, which place, although but 8 miles distant, was not reached till daybreak, so unaccountably slow was the movement. No time was then given to the men either to rest or get food, but without halting they were moved forward against an entrenched position, which had been supposed to be fully manned. The formation of the brigade was in two lines, the Eighteenth Massachusetts on the right of the second line, the First Michigan on its left. The assault was repulsed, and the brigade, after the troops on its left had given away, fell back. The casualties were 1 man killed and 9 wounded. During the remainder of the day the regiment, with others of the brigade, occupied a position to the right and rear of where it fought in the morning. The next day, May 10, the regiment was not in action. At about 3 o'clock it reported to Lieutenant-Colonel Throop, and was assigned to duty with the Second Brigade. At about sunset the Third Brigade was placed in line in front of the Second Brigade, and preparations were made to charge the enemy's works, but the order countermanded. The brigade withdrew, and this regiment again reported to Colonel Sweitzer. During the night it was on picket in front of the works, where it had 3 men wounded.

May 11, the regiment remained near the rifle-pits in support of the Second Brigade.

May 12, the regiment occupied several positions without being in either of them actively engaged. Early in the morning with the