1864.

May 7.

day; General Wadsworth killed and General Baxter wounded.

-Took the advance at dark; marched all night toward Spottsylvania Court-House.

May 8.

Met Longstreet's corps in the morning near that place; fought all the rest of the day, encountering part of Ewell's corps just at dark; General Robinson severely wounded.

May 9.

- Drove the enemy into his intrenched line.

May 10.-Vigorously assaulted enemy's position in conjunction with Second Corps.

May 12. Repeated assault on enemy alone at the same place as on the 10th. General Ayres marched to left to support Second Corps in afternoon; marched back during the night in the rain.

May 13.- Constructed line of breastworks to contract our lines; worked all day; marched all night in the rain around the rear of our army to attack the enemy at daybreak on the 14th. Remained in front of the enemy at Spottsylvania Court-House, skirmishing daily until May 21, part of the corps taking an important part in the battle of May 17.

May 21. - Left enemy's front at noon; crossed the Po River at Guiney's Bridge; the advance crossed the Ta River at Madison's Ordinary.

May 22. Followed along the Telegraph Road, fighting his cavalry bivouacked at Dr. Flippo's.

May 23.-Crossed North Anna at Jericho Mills, and fought Hill's corps on south side.

May 24. Pushed out to the Virginia Central Railroad, and down the river to connect with the Ninth Corps.

May 25. Drove the enemy into his intrenched lines, developing their location.

May 26.— At dark recrossed the North Anna at Quarles' Mills in the rain; marched all night.

May 27. Marched all day, proceeding via Mount Carmel Church and St. Paul's Church, bivouacking two miles from Mangohick Church. May 28.-Crossed the Pamunkey at Hanovertown, and encamped near Brockenbrough's house.

May 29. Moved to Norman's house.

May 30.

Moved to Via's house, south of Totopo

tomoy Creek, and had a skirmish with enemy.

May 31.

Was engaged with the enemy at and near Bethesda

Church, on the Mechanicsville Road to Richmond.

1864.

CHAPTER XVII.

TWENTY-SEVEN days had passed since we crossed the Rapidan under the leadership of General Grant. During this time we had received a new experience in warfare. The ordinary duties of camp life, such as drilling, guard-mounting, etc., had disappeared, and in their place were marching, digging, and fighting, getting sleep as best we could. It seemed a grand hustle to see which army would get to Richmond first, keeping us busy all the time. Yet, to some of us, it didn't seem so hard a campaign as either Manassas or Gettysburg, or even Chancellorsville. The rations were issued regularly; our marches were not, as a rule, long; we had earthworks to fall back into, and were well supported by other troops, and our position in battle frequently changed. No matter how hard the fighting, or doubtful the result, we moved onward as resistless as the car of Juggernaut. The Army of the Potomac having been unaccustomed to the sunshine of victory, rejoiced at the change and became buoyant with hope. The discouragement that hitherto attended us vanished as our confidence in Grant increased. Fears for the safety of Washington - the skeleton that, hitherto, haunted the closet of our army seemed to have been eliminated from Grant's plan. There was one drawback to our confidence in General Grant, and that was his occasional appearance on the skirmish line at times when it was very dangerous. It was running too great a risk, and our apprehensions were often very much excited at his apparent insensibility to the peril of his position.

Now that we had only forty-seven days more to serve we found it a good deal harder to respond when the order was given to "charge," and were glad enough when a day passed without our being called upon for that disagreeable duty.