Drown), "Don't fire, don't fire; we are friends!" at the same time directing his men to trail their arms. Captain Drown, believing they were about to surrender, directed his men not to fire, whereupon the whole body of the enemy suddenly fired upon him, killing him instantly and also several of his men.

Another instance of cowardice and treachery is related in Colonel Blaisdell's report of the Eleventh Massachusetts as having occurred in front of his regiment:

While the regiment was engaged on the left of the road, at not more than 50 yards, a rebel officer displayed a white flag, crying out, "Don't fire on your friends." When I ordered, "Cease firing, and Private Michael Doherty, of Company A, stepped forward to get the flag, and when near it the officer said to his men, "Now, give it to them." The men obeyed, firing and severely wounding Private Doherty, who immediately returned the fire, shooting the officer through the heart, thus rewarding him for his mean treachery.

Some of our wounded men were bayoneted by the rebels, and a New Jersey captain was found bayoneted and his ears cut off. There are other cases.

In Colonel Taylor's, brigade all the regiments behaved very well and suffered the heaviest loss; nearly as much as both the others together. Colonel Dwight, Seventieth New York Volunteers, is particularly commended. He was badly wounded and taken prisoner, but left in the hospital in Williamsburg on parole. The Third Brigade, Brigadier General Patterson, suffered very severely; the Seventh and Eighth New Jersey Volunteers, however, had quite a number of stragglers, as well as the Twenty-sixth Pennsylvania, in the First Brigade.

I beg leave to refer the commanding general to the regimental reports for the names of officers and men who particularly distinguished themselves. The artillery was not as much used as was desirable on account of the difficulties of the ground, but the batteries brought in position made good use of their opportunities. Three of our batteries were not engaged, as they could not be used. When the artillery of General Kearny's division arrived I sent Captain J. Thompson, its chief, to examine the ground, and he reported that it could not be used to advantage, with the exception of two pieces,to hold the road in our front, and he placed them there. The effort to turn the enemy's right flank would have been made at an earlier hour of the day, but I had not the troops to spare until after General Kearny's division arrived on the field. It did not then succeed, as I was without guides or maps, although Colonel Averell had possession of the right work, No. 1, of the enemy, and occupied it with a company of cavalry from an early hour of the day.

Early in the night the enemy commenced his retreat. This intelligence unfortunately was not communicated to me until after sunrise. As soon as I learned it I ordered forward the cavalry and horse artillery in pursuit. Between 6 and 7 a.m. we took possession of Fort Magruder and the depended works. The enemy then had two regiments of infantry and some cavalry in sight in front of Williamsburg. I sent forward a brigade of infantry and some artillery under General Jameson, but the enemy hastily retreated through the town. We found two field pieces this side and five siege pieces beyond, 2 miles out, the bad roads and pursuit compelled him to abandon. There were also abandoned wagons and a great number of small-arms. In Fort Magruder there was some ammunition left, and we got a silk flag, inscribed "Pickens Guard," and "Presented by the Ladies." In the town the enemy abandoned all their severely wounded without attendance or the least provision for their sustenance. Counting them, the prisoners captured during the battle and the first day of their retreat,