our right, while the Third was held in reserve, immediately in our rear. Our works faced the enemy's and were nearly parallel with them, the right a little refused. This accomplished, we lay in comparative quiet an hour or more, when the firing upon our left began to increase at about 2 p.m. In about half an hour the Third Brigade was sent hastily to meet what was now ascertained to be the advancing columns of the enemy, which had broken the lines of the First Division and were now threatening our left flank. In a few minutes General Morgan ordered me to move the One hundred and twenty-First one regimental front to the left, refusing the left, which was immediately done, and the regiment went hastily to work throwing up a breast-work of logs in this new position, while the First Brigade moved one regiment into the works just abandoned by us.

In the meantime the firing increased along the whole line and was advancing alarmingly upon our left flank, making it evident our left had given back. In a few minutes now I received an order from General Mitchell to advance the regiment until we reached the Thirty-fourth Illinois, and to form upon their left, which in the meantime had changed front and now formed a line at nearly right angles with the original front line, their joining upon the left of the Ninety-eighth Ohio, and had thrown up works in that new position. I was told that if I found a regiment already formed upon the left of the Thirty-fourth to move still to the left and take position upon and extension of that line. I did find, not only one but at least two regiment (the Twenty-First Wisconsin and Thirty-eighth Indiana, of the First Division) upon the left of the Thirty-fourth upon an extension of their line, except that the left of each was refused, and I moved the One hundred and twenty-First we formed upon the left of these. All this was done in a swamp covered with water and thickly overgrown with underwood and brambles as well as larger trees, and under a continual fire, which was growing hotter every minute. Before we got in position the enemy were discovered moving by their right flank within 200 yards in a direction nearly parallel with our line, in such a manner, however, as to expose our left flank to continual danger. Such, however, was the similarity in appearance of their uniform to the dusty, threadbare, and faded uniform of our own troops, added to the repeated assurance that we still had troops in that direction, as left a doubt in my mind whether they were not our own troops, and I ordered the men to lay down, reserving their fire. In this emergency, as the enemy were still moving rapidly to our left flank, I sent Lieutenant James Ball, of Company G, with six men of his company to reconnoiter our left, to watch their movements and ascertain to a certainly who they were and to prevent a surprise to our regiment from that direction. In a few minutes I became thoroughly satisfied who they were, as I saw their colors emerging from the brush, and I ordered the men to fire, which was quickly returned. The fire was now kept up for about fifteen minutes with great obstinacy, the enemy slowly advancing and we holding our ground. In the meantime Lieutenant Ball found them closing in upon our left and the fire upon our right became a perfect tempest and was approaching, when it was discovered that the line upon our right was broken and falling back in disorder. To remain longer in that position would have been madness, and we fell back about 400 yards. The enemy, apparently more intent to close in upon what seemed to be the main force, and no doubt now flattering themselves with the idea that one more blow would complete their victory, allowed us to reform our regiment while they