about north by west, in rear of the Eleventh Maine and Twenty-fourth Massachusetts, having the One hundred New York on its left. An advance was then ordered in support of the two former regiments, the left wing of ours crossing directly through a bad swamp and resting under cover of rising ground on the opposite side during the skirmishing with the enemy's pickets, who were encountered a short distance in front. The right wing, being exposed on higher ground, was directed to fall back behind a slight hill. A charge was very soon ordered, the notice given to us almost solely by the shouts of the men. The First Maryland Cavalry rushed forward, passed some seventy-five yards beyond the Eleventh Maine and Twenty-fourth Massachusetts, and carried the rebel rifle-pits in the woods. Three very gallant officers were here severely wounded, and a large number of enlisted men killed and disabled, but the exact loss at this point has been unavoidably consolidated with that of the day. Colonel Pond's brigade was in support at this point. The regiment was then rallied and formed on the left of the latter, being thereby separated from other regiments of its brigade. An order was then received to move to the left and to replace on the skirmish line the Tenth Connecticut, whose ammunition was exhausted. In carrying out this order 150 men, properly officered, were moved to the having the Twenty-fourth Massachusetts on its right and the One hundredth New York on its left. A deep ravine, having in its center a small stream of water and on its opposite and steep bank some important rebel works, lay in our immediate front, but of the existence of this ravine I was not aware, all view to any distance being cut off by trees and thick underbrush. From the position last mentioned I was directed by the brigadier-general commanding to form a direct which we had never lost sight of, and I accordingly ordered an advance of my line, an advance which unexpectedly to me developed into a charge of the whole line. No notice of this charge was given me, nor had I any opportunity of communicating it to the regiment on my left. Of the 150 men mentioned as skirmishing in front a portion was in our immediate front and a large part more to the left, so much so that by the advance of the line in this charge they became separated from the regiment, were thrown on the left of the One hundredth New York, and did not again join us until late in the afternoon. The skirmishers in our immediate front were among the first to enter the enemy's works on the opposite side of the ravine, closely followed by a portion of the officers and men that had remained in line. It was nearly impossible to preserve order in line in a charge over such a piece of ground through woods; nor after the first rush was it practicable to collect and lead to the front under fire the men scattered about the ravine. At no time, however, was my regiment separated from the left of the Twenty-fourth Massachusetts, not was their left at any time exposed to be turned by any defection of my regiment or the One hundredth New York. I could mention several officers who displayed great gallantry in charging and surmounting the steep bank upon which the enemy's works stood, and who, with their men, reached them in advance of any portion of the Twenty-fourth Massachusetts. The enemy soon rallied and opened a severe cross-fire upon our line and the men in the ravine, and soon a portion of our own men, believed to have been of the One hundredth New York, formed upon the top of the bank directly in our rear and commenced firing over our heads. Our men