sumed. Colonel Penrose, commanding Fifteenth New Jersey Volunteers, at that time, placed himself under my command and remained with the brigade during the rest of the epoch. His regiment behaved under all circumstances with a steadiness indicative of the highest state of discipline.

May 6, the brigade was ordered to attack at daylight, but the order was countermanded. There was constant skirmish during the day but not serious. About 7 p. m. Lieutenant-Colonel Duffy, acting inspector-general of the division, brought the order to send two regiments to the extreme right, that flank of the corps having been turned. The One hundred and twenty-first New York Volunteers and Ninety-fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers were designated and led on by Lieutenant-Colonel Duffy at double-quick. While marching they encountered a fire from the left. The dense undergrowth necessarily lengthened out the column, and at the same time large masses of men breaking through their ranks threw both regiments into unavoidable confusion. Portions of both regiments were promptly reformed at the rifle-pits near General Sedgwick's headquarters, then the extreme right, and held their position firmly. As soon as my horse could be brought, after receiving the order, I started after the two regiments, leaving the remained of the brigade under command of Colonel Penrose, but before I could reach them they had been broken. I succeeded in rallying about half of each, and advanced at once. At every step officers and men who were falling back stated that there were no troops in front or on the right, from which latter direction bullets were then coming. About 300 yards to the rear was General Morris' brigade, of the Third Division, thrown back to meet the attack. I therefore moved the two regiments back and formed on his right. Fragments of other regiments were formed on my right, and two companies of the Ninety-fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers were deployed as skirmishers. Finding out shortly after dark the position of the remainder of the regiments they were united at the rifle-pits and still continued to hold the right of the line. Lieutenant-Colonel Olcott, commanding One hundred and twenty-first New York Volunteers, while his regiment was reforming, rode to the front to ascertain the position of affairs. He was discovered by the enemy and wounded in the forehead by a musket-ball, from the effects of which he fell from his horse insensible and was made prisoner. An able and gallant officer, his absence was felt throughout the entire campaign. Lieutenant Patterson, aide-de-camp, was wounded. About 10 p. m. the brigade, leading the corps, moved by the left flank to the pike, thence back to near the corps, Wilderness Tavern, where a position was taken between the pike and plank road, and fortified on the morning of the 7th. The withdrawal from in front of the enemy, though but a few yards from his line, was accomplished successfully and without loss.

SECOND EPOCH.

The brigade, leading the corps, moved from Wilderness Tavern at 9.30 p. m. on the 7th instant, via Chancellorsville, to Piney Branch Church, where a halt of one hour was made for breakfast. Resuming the march on the Spotsylvania road it came up early in the afternoon with the Fifth corps, then engaging the enemy. About 6.30 p. m. it was formed in a fourth line on the right of the road, to support an attack, but threatening demonstrations being made on our