and reported immediately to Brigadier-General Ames for instructions. The enemy were at this time advancing rapidly through the town. The regiment was immediately deployed in the streets, and fired several volleys into the ranks of the enemy, which thinned their ranks and retarded their advance. We kept the enemy from advancing through the town until ordered to clear the street of our men for the purpose of planting a battery. The battery not being placed in position as intended, and the regiment being in line on the sidewalk, the enemy took advantage of this, and, with a superior force, rushed though the main street, which compelled us to fall back, which we did reluctantly, but not without contesting the ground inch by inch. As we retreated, we loaded, halted, and poured destructive volleys into their ranks, which cleared the main street of them several times, but we found the enemy too many for us. They poured in from every street in overwhelming numbers, which broke our ranks. Upon arriving near the battery on Cemetery Hill, the regiment was halted, and formed in line of battle fronting the town. About this time Major-General Howard, who was in the thickest of the battle, regardless of danger, asked if he had troops brave enough to advance to a stone wall across a lot toward the town, and said he would lead them. We replied, "Yes, the Seventeenth Connecticut will, " and advanced at once to the place indicated, remained a few moments, and again advanced across another lot still nearer the town and behind a rail fence at the upper end of the town, which position we held until late in the evening, exposed to a galling fire from the enemy's sharpshooters, when the whole regiment was ordered out on picket, and performed that duty until 2 o'clock of the 2nd instant, when we were relieved, and took a position behind the rail fence and 150 paces farther to the right of the place we occupied before going out on picket. We remained in this position, exposed to the enemy's batteries and sharpshooters, until 7 p. m., when we were ordered to the extreme right, behind a stone wall on each side of a lane, below the battery opposite the cemetery entrance. Two companies were advanced to the grain field near the woods, through which the enemy were advanced to the grain field near the woods, through which the enemy were rapidly advancing. We covered the wall on each side of the lane by compelling about 300 stragglers, who had no commander, to fall into our line. We had not more than time to form behind the wall before the enemy were discovered advancing rapidly upon us on our right and a full brigade obliquely toward our left. When within 150 paces of us, we poured a destructive fire upon them, which thinned their ranks and checked their advance. We fired several volleys by battalion, after which they charged up on us. We had a hand-to-hand conflict with them, firmly held our ground, and drove them back. Soon after, some of the troops on our left giving way, the rebels succeeded in getting in our rear. We again drove them back and held our position. It was during this conflict that Major Brady was wounded by a fragment of shell, which hit him upon the right shoulder. After the enemy had been driven back, the firing ceased, excepting occasional shots from their sharpshooters. We were relieved by the Fourth Ohio Volunteers, and were ordered to change front to the left behind a wall running at right angles with the one we had just occupied, and fronting the town, and where the enemy entered on our left. We remained at this wall all night and