reaching a position where I could be of service, the enemy had succeeded in turning the flank, and, flushed with victory, was pressing rapidly in pursuit of our retreating line, threatening the rear of the First Brigade (Meredith's Iron Brigade), engaged in the woods on the left. I filed to the right and rear, to throw my line in front of his advancing line. My men kept up a steady double-quick, never faltering or breaking under the fire, which had become very galling. When my line had reached a fence on the Chambersburg turnpike, about 40 rods from the line of the enemy, I ordered a fire by file. This checked the advance of the rebels, who took refuge in a railroad cut (an unfinished railroad cut through the ridge west of the seminary), from which they opened a murderous fire upon us. I immediately ordered the men over the fence, with a view to charging the cut. The Ninety-fifth New York and Fourteenth Brooklyn here joined on my left. My men continued firing and advancing steadily. I ran to Major Pye, of the Ninety-fifth New York Volunteers, commanding, as I supposed, the line on my left, and, requesting him to move forward with me, immediately gave the order to charge. The men of the whole line moved forward upon a double-quick, well closed, in face of a terribly destructive fire from the enemy. When our line reached the edge of the cut, the rebels began throwing down their arms in token of surrender. Adjt. Ed. P. Brooks, with promptness and foresight, moved a detachment of 20 men in position to enfilade the cut from the right, when the entire regiment in my front, after some murderous skirmishing by the more desperate, threw down their arms. Major John A. Blair, commanding the regiment (Second Mississippi Volunteers), upon my demand, surrendered his sword and regiment to me. I directed him to have his men fall in without arms, and move to the rear, in charge of Major John F. Hauser, of this regiment. Major Hauser informs me that by direction of General James S. Wadsworth, commanding division, he placed in charge of a cavalry guard 7 officers and about 225 men. The battle-flag of the regiment was captured before the surrender by Corpl. F. Asbury Waller, of Company I, * and has been forwarded, in obedience to orders, to army headquarters. The loss sustained by my command in this charge was not less than 160 men killed or wounded. After this capture of prisoners, by direction of General Wadsworth, I took position in a piece of woods on the right of the railroad cut near the seminary, where I remained about thirty minutes and reorganized my shattered regiment. I was then ordered forward to occupy the next crest in front, in support of a battery on the left of the cut I had previously charged. The enemy opened fire on my advancing line from a battery of six guns, killing and wounding several men. I took possession of the crest, where I remained until the battery had retired and the enemy had pressed back our line on my right and left, when I moved back under cover of the railroad cut, and, by direction of General Wadsworth, took position again in the wood, in support of four pieces of Stewart's battery (B, Fourth U. S. Artillery), where I remained until ordered by General Wadsworth to retire in good order beyond this city (Gettysburg). Faced

---------------

*A medal of honor was awarded to Corporal Waller for this service. -Compiler.

---------------