had been marching and fighting five days.

"Silent's lines were now formed and ready to attack or resist. Thus they
lay during the fifth night. On the next morning orders were issued to
assault the enemy's center at 10 o'clock. Some movement of the enemy
delayed the assault, and about 1 o'clock the enemy pressed forward to
attack, which they did with great vigor. They were repulsed with great
loss and fell back in confusion. They reformed and came forward again.
The contest now became fierce and even terrific. They made their way
close up to Hanscom's front and delivered their fire in the very faces
of our men. Our line did not waver, but now opened such a terrible fire
of musketry on them that they broke in great disorder.

"In the very heat of the contest the woods had taken fire again, and
the flames were leaping along with frightful rapidity, destroying nearly
everything in their pathway. Our troops on this part of the line were
compelled to fall' back, leaving many poor fellows of both sides to
perish. Soon, however, the skirmishers were re-enforced and drove the
enemy for a mile into their entrenchments.

"It was now determined to make the assault contemplated in the morning.
So about 4 p.m. Silent ordered the assault. Warner and Wight were to
move simultaneously with Warner's and Gibbs's divisions, Motley to
advance on the left of Wight's Corps. Our troops had to advance up a
densely-wooded hill. Silent and Meador took position on an elevated
point, but could see little of the field, it was so overgrown with
bushes.

"The battle had again commenced, our troops assaulting. A cloud of smoke
hung heavily over the field, lighted up occasionally by flashes from
artillery. The shouts of the commanders giving their orders, the yells
of the soldiers on both sides, as well as the groans of the wounded
and dying, could be distinctly heard in every direction. Across an open
field, then through heavy woods, across a soft morass in front of
one division of the enemy near the stream, went our lines, struggling
forward under a most galling fire until lost to view in a copse of
wood and the smoke of battle. Only our wounded now came staggering
and crawling out from under the cloud of smoke to the rear. These few
moments of suspense were terrible. Looking, listening and waiting, our
troops at this moment ascended the hill and stormed the enemy's works,
but could not hold them against the destructive fire. They fell back to
th