The account of the charge on the batteries and its repulse, I give in the words of Colonel Humphreys himself:

At the same time the enemy charged these batteries from the woods, in two columns, of a brigade each, the one emerging from a point immediately in front of our batteries, and the other from a point 100 yards to our left. The section of the Nineteenth New York Battery was the object of the direct attack of the enemy, and it was but a few moments before nearly every man belonging to the section was either killed or wounded, and the pieces ceased firing. The enemy was rapidly advancing, and were within 10 paces of the guns. These pieces were hastily manned by men from my regiment. The advance of the enemy was checked and after a short and severe contest, the first column was repulsed with considerable loss to the enemy. The guns were then turned on the column approaching from the left, and that too was quickly repulsed. * * * You will pardon me for calling attention to the conduct of the officers and men of the regiment (Second Michigan) on this occasion. Attacked by a force vastly superior they not only maintained their ground, but repulsed two columns of the enemy so completely that he was unable to take advantage of a serious repulse of a part of our own lines at about the same time. The value of the service performed by the regiment on this occasion is seen from the fact that if the few men forming it had given way, these batteries would have been lost, our completely turned, and the most serious consequence might have followed.

Captain James Farrand is mentioned for distinguished gallantry in this action. He fel while bravely serving the guns which he had hastily manned. It was this assaulting column of the enemy that in returning from the attack struck this division in the flank. they first came in contact with the Seventeenth Michigan, a large portion of which they captured. They next struck the Fiftieth Pennsylvania Volunteers on the left of this brigade, and doubling them up in the thick paine woods, succeeded in making prisoners of about 100 of them also. A small portion of them, however, rallying around their colors, gallantly fought their way out, contending hand-to-hand in many instances with bayonets and butts of guns. Captain Schwenk with his company joined the troops on his right and maintained his position to the last. All this transpired in less time than it can be written.

Pending this melee in the woods, Major George C. Barnes, commanding Twentieth Michigan, discovered that the enemy were closing up on his rear, and unless he took immediate steps to prevent it he would be captured entire. He therefore moved rapidly by the left flank into the woods, and filing to the left, brought his regiment facing to the left flank. He found himself confronted by the disorganized fragments of two rebel brigades and almost entirely surrounded. With the men still about him, however, he attacked boldly and cut his way out with a loss of only 30 missing, most of whom have been found to have been wounded. Major Barnes behaved with the most reckless bravery, exposing himself where it seemed impossible for a man to live, encouraging and steadying his men regardless of danger. He deserves most honorable mention. He has since fallen at his post. The regiment at large did all that men could do under the circumstances, and most of them were, at some state of the fight, prisoners, and some were captured and recaptured several times. While this was transacting with the other regiments, the First Sharpshooters were holding their position with great obstinacy, and as the flank attack did not reach them they were the last to retire. On this occasion they canceled the unfortunate record they made on the 9th at Ny River. Both the attack of the enemy and our own had now been repulsed. The lines were drawn back and re-established, and after this most bloody day the troops rested in the mud upon their arms.