At this time the battle was raging heavily on our left, and our own position was again changed. Captain Grummond's company (I) was here thrown out to support Captain Griffith, and the regiment was put in position in support of Captain Martin's Massachusetts battery. The men slept on their arms until 2 o'clock a. m., when, by order of your general, the pickets were called in, and the regiment took up its march toward its camp. Arriving there, after a brief rest the command, with the rest of the brigade, moved forward across the bridge at the mill, then to the right, where it was placed in position for the battle of Gaines' Mill, on the left of the brigade, in a belt of woods, along a ravine, with the Twenty-fifth New York on its right and the Eighty- third Pennsylvania, of Butterfied's brigade, on the left. In front of the position was the sloping side of Gaines' wheat field, up which and onto the field Companies E, Captain Pomeroy, and afterward A Captain Alcott, were deployed as skirmishes. By direction of General Martindale a rude barricade was hastily thrown up along the line, and the men laid down awaiting the attack. It was not long before the skirmishers were actively engaged with those of the enemy. The firing was brisk, and we lost a number of men.

Meanwhile, about 12 o'clock, the enemy commenced firing shot and shell, which fell and burst among and near the men, costing us a few lives. Twice our skirmishers were driven in, but regained their position as soon as practicable, until I deemed it advisable to call them in permanently. About 3 o'clock the enemy's infantry appeared in force on our right on the brow of the hill, and were repulsed by a vigorous fire. An hour later they appeared in strength on our left, and were there handsomely repulsed and lost severely by our musketry. In both of these attacks the enemy must have lost great numbers. At about 6 o'clock he appeared in great force all along our line, with his troops massed and his columns heavier about our center. All along the lines fire was opened on him and maintained in a most vigorous manner. Nothing could have been better done; the effect upon his ranks was perceptible, and the slope of that hill must have borne testimony to the steadiness and accuracy of our fire. Yet he moved steadily along with a fire that cut down nearly one-fourth of my command until up and onto us, when, unable to resist the mass hurled at them the line broke and the men commenced a retreat. The men were borne back by sheer force of numbers. Twice the enemy had been repulsed by our fire, but with fresh troops he moved in inestimable force against the line, and it had to give way. We fell back, reformed our line, and took position near to and in front of the hospital, ready for a renewal of the fight. We remained here until 3 o'clock a. m., when the regiment brigade, nothing of particular importance occurring until Monday evening, June 30, when we were formed in line of battle and remained under arms while the fight of that day was occurring.

In the engagement of Tuesday the regiment was on the left of the first line of our brigade; was formed in double column; was placed in position, and for four hours was subjected to a severe fire of shell and grape and canister. At about 6 o'clock the fire in front of us became very sharp, and I was ordered to deploy column and move forward to be ready to charge the enemy should they drive back our force in front. The deployment was made, and, supported by the Second Maine, Colonel Roberts, we took position. Here a messenger from the Eighty-third Pennsylvania reached me, asking to be relieved at once, as it had been actively engaged for a long period in front. I moved the regiment