had not yet joined the battalion when the enemy appeared in the edge of the woods, in front and beyond the left of the line. They advanced rapidly in two lines obliquely upon the left and across the front of the brigade, extending well toward the right. They advanced at a charging pace, delivering a very heavy fire as they advance.

Two companies of the Thirtieth Maine deployed in the ditch, one in front of that regiment and the other between that regiment and the One hundred and sixty-second New York Volunteers, opened a sharp fire upon the enemy, but without checking them in the least. These companies fell back, one upon its own regiment and the other toward the One hundred and sixty-second New York Volunteers. The enemy charged swiftly from the slope and commenced crossing the ditch, striking at some of the skirmishers in the ditch with the butts of their muskets. So rapidly did they advance that Lieutenant-Colonel Blanchard, who had gone to the front of his regiment to the ditch for the purpose of seeing the position of the enemy, had not time to place himself behind his regiment before the brigade line commenced retiring in confusion. The regiments fell back, beginning with the One hundred and sixty-fifth New York Volunteers on the right, followed by the One hundred and sixty-second New York Volunteers on the left center and the One hundred and seventy-third New York Volunteers next the regiments delivering their fire as they fell back in disorder to the rear. On that day I commanded the Thirtieth Maine Volunteers upon the left of the line, and had received orders from Colonel Benedict, commanding brigade, to retreat when the other regiments fell back. I held my regiment in its position behind the ditch, firing upon the enemy, until I perceived that the other regiments were retiring over the brow of the slope and myself enveloped on both flanks and severely pressed in front, when I gave the order to retreat. The regiment retreated up the slope under a sever fire, halted and partially reformed, and fired again upon the enemy, and retired in some confusion into the woods, where they were rallied upon the right of General Smith's troops, who were in line in that position. Having rallied the regiment on the right of General Smith's troops, in which I was greatly assisted by Captain Wilkinson, of General Emory's staff, I ordered a charge and advanced with the regiment formed on the right of General Smith's troops in a charge upon the flank of the enemy, who had by this time penetrated the line as far as Battery L, Fifth [First] U. S. Artillery. The enemy retreated to the low ground,when they received support from another line then advancing from the woods. They attempted to reform and resist our advance, delivering a heavy fire. General Smith's troops, however, continued to advance from the left, and, aided by another line, the Second Brigade of First Division, Nineteenth Corps, advancing between General Smith's troops and Battery L, Fifth [First] U. S. Artillery, completed the discomfiture of the enemy in that quarter, and they were speedily driven beyond the open ground and through the woods. In this movement the brigade became much scattered, portions of the different regiments advancing with other brigades until the battle ceased.

The reports of the One hundred and sixty-second and One hundred and sixty-fifth New York Volunteers do not say what portions of their regiments advanced. Part of the One hundred and seventy-third New York Volunteers, with its colors, fought the remainder of